Katelynn Hahs was born on October 2, 2007. She is the daughter of Stephanie Statler and has two siblings, Erykah Raines and Jessie Statler. Katelynn’s favorite teacher is Mrs. Stegeman because “she’s helped me grow so much since freshman year.” Three words she would use to describe herself are competitive, passionate, and melancholic. If she could travel anywhere in the world, Katelynn would go to North Korea because she wants to see places that almost no one outside of the country has experienced. Her favorite school memory is receiving a standing ovation from veterans and the entire school during the Veterans Day assembly. Her most embarrassing memory was accidentally dumping black paint all over Mrs. Stegeman’s floor—twice in thirty minutes—and having to clean it up.
As a child, Katelynn wanted to be a psychologist. Now, she has been admitted to Missouri State University, where she plans to earn her bachelor’s degree in social work. She has been involved in Speech, BETA, and the Library Club throughout high school. Her advice to underclassmen is, “Try to get yourself out there and gain new experiences through clubs.” Although she is excited to graduate, Katelynn will miss the connections she has formed with her teachers over the years. Mrs. Stegeman has had the greatest influence on her by helping her improve her public speaking skills and offering opportunities she may not have discovered otherwise. Katelynn considers her biggest accomplishments to be placing second in the state for Poetry Out Loud and earning first place in Speech districts for Poetry.
Shoutouts: Mrs. Stegeman, Mrs. Balzer, Ms. Braswell, Mr. Mills, Ms. Hawkins, my mom, Jessie, and Chloe Troutt.