Introduction
Hello again! This is Anneliese Goertzen and I am an Illustration and Graphic Design major at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. I have lived in Belleville Kansas for most of my life and I wanted to share my experiences growing up in Republic County. The majority of my life here was spent at Republic County Jr/Sr High School. Go Buffs! Many friends and memories were created here and many amazing opportunities helped me be the person I am today. From being able to express my artistic abilities to being able to travel across the world, this small school has made my life exciting.
Opportunities
Even though Republic County is in rural Kansas, I was still offered many amazing opportunities in school. I’ve been to Anaheim, California for State FBLA and to the Fiesta Bowl for Band my freshman year. I also went to London, England my senior year to be in the New Year’s Day Parade for cheerleading. Another event that I was able to be a part of was, Distinguished Young Women of Kansas. This scholarship opportunity is held in Belleville every year and is something that every high school senior girl should do. This event’s mission is to empower young women to reach their full potential by providing scholarships for college and personal development to become confident leaders. I was first runner-up the year I competed, and it helped pay for my college textbooks.
Learning Experience
Republic County Jr/Sr High School has also taught me a lot. I learned skills such as how to talk in interviews and public speaking. It has made me more confident in my presenting and speaking abilities. Whether it be for a project for class or just introducing myself to someone new. I also took a class on budgeting and finances which has helped me tremendously in college. Being able to properly divide my money so that I do not have to pay back as many loans after college have relieved a lot of stress from my life.
Someone who I looked up to was my high school art teacher Tranda Strnad. She joined Republic County High School my sophomore year and that was the first year I took art in High School. I wasn’t confident in my artistic abilities at the time, but she was very nurturing of my talent and pushed me to try new things. She saw my drive and passion for art and made sure to have all the materials for my projects. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would have been confident enough to try and pursue an art career.
Some of my favorite moments are from doing art competitions with my classmates. It was so inspiring to see what everyone had made to enter and to see other entries. It brought out my competitive side and I would strive to make my art better so that I could get a ribbon next time. Another club event I always looked forward to was FBLA. My best friend and I competed together every year and we were able to go to nationals our freshman year. We were not as successful the other years, but it was a time I could not forget.