Senior Hailey Baltosser says goodbye to high school, expands her horizon

Senior Hailey Baltosser is a brunette with big blue eyes. She is beautiful not only on the outside, but on the inside.

She may appear to be quiet or shy, but she is outgoing and can easily make friends with anyone.

“I think that a misconception of me is that people just think I’m naturally quiet, but as soon as I’m comfortable with you I’m the exact opposite,” Baltosser said with a laugh.

IMAGE / Courtesy of Hailey Baltosser
Senior Hailey Baltosser cheered during football season and was on the competitive cheer team in the winter.

She was homecoming queen this year and was on the cheer team, but she can’t just be known for either.

She is president of the National Honor Society, which makes her responsible for making the group’s announcements, brainstorming ideas for the group, and making sure activities go smoothly.

She is also a freshman mentor who helps freshmen in need with tutoring or just simply giving advice.

“I like being able to share my experiences with the freshmen and helping them through their first year,” Baltosser said.

She volunteers for Hurley Medical Center, Habitat for Humanity, the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, and for some of the teachers at the elementary schools here at Kearsley.

On top of volunteering, she also manages to take Advanced Placement courses and maintain high grades.

She is currently taking these five AP classes: Government, Calculus, Human Anatomy, Psychology, and Spanish V.

Baltosser has a favorite quote from Christian Larson, and it hits home for her everyday: “Believe in yourself and all that you are and know that there is something inside of you that is greater than any obstacle.”

IMAGE / Courtesy of Hailey Baltosser
Seniors Hailey Baltosser (l to r) and Kassidy Krist volunteer for a Feed My Starving Children event.

“This has been my favorite quote for years now because there have been some things throughout the past couple years, and this quote reminds me that I can make it through anything as long as I believe I can,” Baltosser said.

She is dedicated to everything that she puts her mind to and always gives one hundred percent.

Senior Kassidy Krist, Baltosser’s best friend, sees the determination she has on a regular basis.

“She doesn’t care about what others think of her. She always does the right thing and leads by example,” Krist said. “You see on the daily basis that she could give up, but she is determined to get through any situation. ”

With this school year coming to a close, Baltosser is excited to graduate.

“I’ll be ending one chapter of my life and starting a new one. I can’t wait to see what kind of opportunities I will have in the future,” Baltosser said. “I’ll miss the closeness I’ve had with the students I’ve been with since elementary school and the teachers that have always encouraged me to do better.”

In the fall, Baltosser will be attending Grand Valley State University to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

IMAGE / Courtesy of Hailey Baltosser
Senior Hailey Baltosser (right) volunteers for Habitat For Humanity with Ms. Candace Thiel, a family friend.

She plans to join the Nurses Without Borders program, where registered nurses travel the world and help others in need all over the world.

“My dream job would be to get paid to travel and help others, which I plan to eventually do with the Nurses Without Borders program,” Baltosser said.

She is an optimist.

“I’m passionate about helping others and making the world a better place.”