She is first in her class and knows what she wants to do with her future.
Name: Erin Watters
Residence: North Canton
Age: 18
School: Central Catholic
GPA: 4.6, class Rank: 1
College choice: University of Toledo
Parents: Shawn and Matthew Watters
Describe yourself in three words: Resilient, Independent, Authentic
School activities: Volleyball, speech and debate, Crusaders for the Community, Comet Newspaper, spirit committee, Spanish club, recycling club, book club, business club, Peer Mentorship Program
Community activities: Ohio Attorney General Teen Ambassador Board, Holy Cross Academy Marketing and Leadership Intern, Buckeye Girls State Delegate, Mercy Medical Center volunteer, St. Paul School and Parish volunteer
Honors and Awards: Samsung American Legion National Scholar, National Honor Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, National Speech and Debate Association Honor Society, Special Distinction, Varsity Scholar-Athlete Award, Varsity Most Versatile Athlete Award, 3 year varsity letter winner, 3 year academic letter winner
Nominated by: Penny Harris, AP English teacher and Jeff Lindesmith, guidance counselor
What is your favorite thing to do outside school? My favorite thing to do outside of school is exploring local restaurants in the community because I love trying new food. Stark County offers such a wide variety of restaurants, I always seem to end up somewhere delicious!
Favorite high school memory? My favorite high school memory was having the opportunity to play in the volleyball regional championship my sophomore year. Our team made it farther than any other volleyball team in our school’s history and it was a great experience that I will always treasure. Some of my closest friends are my volleyball teammates and the sport has always been a positive light in my life.
Most people would be surprised to know ...: When I was younger I participated in U.S. Kids Golf Tournaments and I have played the sport since I was 3!
What do you hope to do as a career? I have been admitted to Toledo’s 6-year doctorate of pharmacy program and I plan to also earn either an MBA or a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences. Along with this, I hope to work in some sector of the pharmaceutical industry, whether that be research and development or operations.
What is the biggest issue facing teenagers today? The biggest issue facing teens today is maintaining an image on social media rather than being authentic people. There is an intense amount of pressure on today’s teenagers to live up to the standard of perfection shown throughout popular media. We live in an instantaneous world where every action and decision is permanently documented, thus making growing and maturing more challenging for my generation. Seeing the picture-perfect lives of influencers on Instagram, Twitter, and even Tik Tok delude us from the reality of everyday life. Their social media feeds resemble highlight reels, only showing their best moments while hiding the struggles and stress of everyday life. This sets unrealistic expectations for teenagers, while at the same time invalidating any difficulties we experience.