Throughout high school, students are told to get involved in everything they can and learn to find love in what their curriculum offers, and senior Catie Kuehl is a beautiful example of a student who has displayed proactive attributes throughout her high school career. 

   Kuehl is involved with Sheridan High School Student Council, National Honors Society, orchestra, soccer, indoor track and Sources of Strength. Within those clubs and extracurriculars, she is the Student Body President and President of National Honors Society. Kuehl has been involved in Student Council for all four years of high school, National Honors Society for her junior and senior years and a musician with orchestra since the fourth grade. Student Council has given Kuehl a chance to form connections and make a difference beyond SHS.

   Along with the extracurriculars, she has been an athlete playing soccer for as long as she can remember, a member of the indoor track team at Sheridan throughout all of high school and a part of Sources of Strength since sophomore year. Out of all of these activities, soccer is Kuehl’s favorite because she thoroughly enjoys the community and support of the team. “I really like the community and the support that all the girls on the team have for each other,” said Kuehl. Kuehl does soccer year-round through the Black Mountain Soccer, SHS soccer, and Storm Fall Soccer programs in Sheridan. Kuehl is a varsity soccer player for the SHS team. 

   Now that Kuehl is a senior, compared to her as a freshman, she believes that her biggest transformation over the years would be her desire to succeed in learning. This not only means getting straight A’s, but having the mindset that if one is going to accomplish something, then doing said task to the best of one’s ability should be a must. Her biggest influence as a teacher would be Lyndsay Groteluschen because she uncovered Kuehl’s love for science. “She taught AP physics last year and that was the first science class that I actually liked and now I really enjoy science,” said Kuehl. As a freshman, Kuehl was not interested in school as much as she is now, and over her high school experience, she has learned how to succeed in subjects that she was passionate about, but also in areas that she struggled with. “She pushes herself, but she is also very astute, and she always tries for the best, which I really appreciate,” said Groteluschen. 

   Partially due to her dad’s influence, Kuehl hopes to major in environmental science and go to law school, thus setting her on the path for environmental law. Kuehl plans to combine two studies, science and social studies, in order to pursue a career that she will not only love, but be able to make a difference in the world. Her hope is to further her education at Pomona University in Claremont, California. With her drive to pursue a high-level education, Kuehl’s alternate choices include University of California, Berkeley and Georgetown University. Her academic goals for the rest of her high school journey consist of graduating and getting into one of her top three colleges, and for Kuehl, due to her high level of academic passion and success, this should not be an issue. “She is extremely direct and hard working,” said Groteluschen.

   In order to prepare for her future, Kuehl has done a phenomenal job of getting involved with organizations both inside and outside of the school. She has found a solid support system that can further help push and guide her along the path that she wishes to follow. “I got involved outside of school and found a lot of support systems that can help me excel in college,” said Kuehl. Her dream accomplishments and goals outside of an academic and education level subsist within the idea of becoming a lawyer and just being able to see where life takes her. She also desires to have fun throughout her life and meet good people. 

   Kuehl comes from a supportive family foundation consisting of her sister, Maggie, and brother, Patrick, mother, Michelle and her father, Brian. Kuehl’s biggest influence on her life would be her sister because she is responsible for getting Kuehl interested in a multitude of the activities and hobbies that is a part of. She grew up watching her sister participate in the same activities. Her sister is also her driving motive in academics. Her sister was a senior when Kuehl was a freshman, so in the start of her high school journey, Kuehl had a remarkable role-model to look up to and learn from. Kuehl believes that her siblings are responsible for making her who she is today. “ Everything that I do is a combination of what Maggie and Patrick have done,” said Kuehl. 

   Giving advice to the younger generations of high school, Kuehl urges younger students to find classes that they find interesting in order to develop a love for learning. “Your grades within the first couple weeks of school don’t determine your grades at the end, so just figure out your classes and it will make a big difference, ” said Kuehl. Kuehl’s biggest takeaway from her high school career would be that she was glad that she had fun throughout all of the years, because time goes by unbelievably fast. She believes that one shouldn’t spend their entire high school experience on their social life, but one should find that school-social life balance. 

   It can be clearly stated that Kuehl has desires and goals that she has to work towards, but because of her drive to succeed and the passion she has towards learning, she, as a student and as an individual, has the potential and mindset to achieve the dreams that she has set for herself. “She has always been pretty independent,” said Groteluschen. “She knows what she wants and she goes hard for that.” Being able to turn education and learning into a passion and dedication is one trait that many students in today’s society can struggle with. Thus, Kuehl’s admirable adherence and commitment to herself and her education has landed her on the highway to success and intellectual fortitude. 

   Kuehl is the daughter of Michelle Sullivan and Brian Kuehl.