Madeline Lukens

I have been involved in athletics for as long as I can remember. I began competitive gymnastics at the age of six and continued until the summer before my freshman year of high school when it became clear that it was going to be impossible to be a competitive distance runner and gymnast. I love being part of team and thrive when surrounded by others with competitive spirits. My coaches have been an integral part of my life and have helped me to become the person I am today. I would love to find a place in college that would not only challenge me academically, but would also help to continue my passion for competing and running.

On the field, I consistently motivate my teammates through my actions and my positive encouragement. At the recent regional race, two of my JV teammates came to me to ask me to help their achieve race goals that day. While one wanted a certain place, the other was racing to hit her PR, but both sought me out because they knew that I could encourage them throughout the race. Throughout the race, I kept track of one teammates place and the other teammates time, even though they were minutes apart from each other, and encouraged them. It was incredibly rewarding to help each of my teammates achieve their goals that day.
Off the field, I am a leader in the classroom by taking my academics seriously. I currently have a 4.025 GPA and consistently strive to not just get a good grade, but to truly understand the skills and content.

Since I have been involved with athletics my entire academic career, I have learned how to balance school and athletics I am very organized and disciplined. I have chosen to follow the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program because it is challenging while allowing me to guide some aspects of my study based on my interests. For example, I am currently analyzing the extent to which Jesse Owens' successes in the 1936 Olympics affected the attitudes of American whites towards African-Americans.
In addition to finding a healthy balance between school and athletics, I also strive to implement proper nutrition in my diet to fuel my training. I am currently working with a sports nutritionist to further learn how to best use nutrition to be at my best. I am also working with a personal trainer through a Performance and Injury Prevention Program (PIP) to ensure that my body is as healthy as it can be.
Finally, I enjoy yoga and meditation and feel that this helps to keep me balanced throughout my week. I begin each morning with sun salutations and I feel that this helps me to start the day with a clear head.

I have been volunteering at my local elementary school for the last three years. I have done everything from working with elementary students individually to volunteering at after school events. In addition, I have volunteered to assist the Oxford Middle School track program prepare for their county meet the last two seasons. This included a variety of tasks including working on relay hand offs, leading warm ups and taking split times at the meet. As a member of Oxford High School's National Honor Society I tutor a middle school student every week. I live in a small community and I enjoy volunteering in my community . I plan to pursue a career in elementary education and love working with young people. I have found that helping a young person achieve their goal is just as rewarding as achieving my personal goals. In the future, as part of my International Baccalaureate program, I hope to develop a program to engage more young people in my community with running at an early age.