Student Spotlight: The Balancing Act of Gillian Folk
By Andrea Morland-Tellez and Ashley Yeatts
When you think of someone who excels in both her rigorous sports and academic life, you may think of Gillian Folk, or how most of us know her, Gilly. Throughout her OLP career, she has been able to balance both a spring and fall sport on top of her numerous AP and Honors classes. During junior year alone she manages to take 5 AP courses as well as one Honors course. She is academically accomplished with her 4.86 GPA and a 35 score on the ACT; however, she flourishes in the team setting as well. During the fall she is a runner on OLP’s Varsity Cross Country team and for Gilly Folk with her teameate after the spring season she is a varsity Swimmer. In addition to this she also a win where they both medaled at an event participates in swim as a year round club sport. “Swim is my favorite of the two sports. It’s a smaller team and I’m able to get to know everyone much better.” To Gilly, swim is much more than a pastime. She has been swimming ever since she was little and she reflected that one person that has driven such a passion for the sport is her swim coach: DawnElla Stoddard. Gilly has been swimming with her since she was 10 years old and over the years they have even switched clubs together. Gilly said that even tho Coach DawnElla is busy with her live as a District Attorney she never fails to make considerable amounts of time to coach all of us, and help me grow Gilly at one of her swim competitions. stronger and better in the sport that I love. In past seasons she has made many accomplishments such as making CIF’s in both Cross Country and Swim, being nominated MIP (most inspirational player) and MVP (most valuable player) as well as being awarded the opportunity to be team captains of both sports. As a Junior with a college fast approaching, Gilly said that she would love to final for CIF in swim again this year and would love to play sports in the college of her choice. “I don’t know where I want to go yet. I know that I want to pursue medicine and playing my sports during my college experience would be amazing; but, swimming at the collegiate level will not affect where I decide to go–– I can always swim outside of the school teams.” Gilly’s outstanding goals for the future and drive to succeed ensures that she will go far in the future and she says that OLP has prepared her for whatever is to come in the future.
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