About Me

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A photo of me in my happy place , June 2014

Hi guys! I’m Helena, I am from Wooster, Ohio, and I am very excited to be at The Ohio State University. I have always loved science; I’m on the Pre-Med track, and my Major is Chemistry, with a minor in French. Down the road I hope to be a Physician Assistant in Pediatrics. I love spending time with young children, and I have been babysitting since I turned 11. I have been running for five years, I ran both cross country, and track all four years in high school, as well as both for one year in middle school. Running has helped me tremendously as a student; through being a runner I learned how to manage time effectively, push through difficult times, and I found that hard work pays off. My senior year I was a captain of both the cross country and track teams, and I feel that I gave the young runners hope. As a freshman I was the slowest runner on the team, but I did not want to stay there, so each summer I worked a little harder. My junior year I missed earning a varsity letter by just one meet, this only made me work harder. During my senior year I went from a junior varsity runner, to second team all-county, and honorable mention in my conference. During the final practice we had as a full team I told this story to everyone, and afterwards a freshman, who had struggled all season came up to me, and thanked me for giving her hope and making her want to work harder the next year. Running has shaped the person I am today, and allowed me to influence others. When I am not running, I enjoy doing yoga, and spending time outdoors. My love of the outdoors is furthered by being an Environment and Natural Resources Scholar, and I am very passionate about environmental issues. Back in Wooster many found my interest in the environment annoying, because I try to recycle everything that can be recycled. This carried over to my job at a frozen yogurt shop that did not recycle at all, so once a week I took all the recycling with me after my shift had ended, and brought it to the recycling center. Although some criticized me, my church, First Presbyterian, helped me to realize that what I was doing was making a difference. I am the church organist’s daughter, and as such faith has been a central part of my life for as long as I can remember. As I have grown older my faith has become more of my choice, and I decided to join the church, and in my senior year of high school I served on Session, which is the churches governing body. My favorite place in the world, Montreat, North Carolina, has also been central to my faith, and who I am today. Montreat is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and while I am there each year I feel closer to God, in this “thin” place. This past summer I had the opportunity to serve on the team of youth that helps lead worship, and being able to share about a “messy” time in my life, helped me to release the difficult last month I had my senior year, and allowed me to be more open to new things as I come into college. I am excited to see what will happen over the course of the next few years, and I am ready to find who I am meant to be.

This is my church group on top of Lookout Mountain in Montreat, June 2015:

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P.S. that kid on my left is my brother Wil.

And here’s my family: my mother Ann, my father Eric, and Wil.

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