While saving another ball, she panics at the thought of all the homework she has to complete tonight and the test she has the next morning. She tells herself that she is here to have fun and to take everything one step at a time. Once she gets home, she stays up all night studying and completing her school work. Before she knows it, it is morning, and she has a bus to catch.

Sophomore Tinotenda Charuma excels in class and on the field. In varsity since freshman year, Charuma is a star athlete. In addition, she maintains a 4.3 grade point average and stays in the top two percent of her class.

“I’ve been playing soccer since first grade, and participating in volleyball and track since seventh grade,” Charuma said. “[Sports] give me that discipline to focus at all times, no matter what.”

In addition to her success as an athlete, Charuma juggles multiple honors courses. She credits her success to her determination to always strive to be above the standard. Although life can get stressful, Charuma always puts her school work first.

“As athletes, we tend to put our activities first,” Charuma said. “But in reality, if you work hard in school as well as in sports, you’re setting yourself up for greatness.”

Charuma has always had support from her family and uses her experiences to guide her. Her upbringing showed her what a difference education can bring to her future.

“Being a foreigner, I’ve seen both spectrums of luxury and poverty,” Charuma said. “That just pushes me to excel higher.”

When Charuma is not practicing her sports skills, she is balancing church, school clubs and keeping up with her coursework. Charuma is also heavily involved in community outreach programs at her church. As of press time, Charuma was planning a Spring Break mission trip to Honduras to help build schools and spread religious gospel to needy children.

“I’m psyched that I get to go out of the country and make a difference and be changed as well,” Charuma said. “I’m excited to come back and apply all that I will learn here, after I experience a whole different culture.”

Though it can be easy to give up, Charuma said she just looks at everything she is involved in with a positive attitude. Problems never fail to arise in her sports,and dealing with school is not always easy. But she focuses on her tasks one at a time and powers through.

“My work ethic is always at full throttle,” Charuma said. “I just go out there and have fun. Even when my body is exhausted and wants to quit, I push. At the end of the day, I’m going to make it through, regardless of the situation.”

Charuma believes that success is something anyone is capable of and that all it takes is the will to give it your all. Even though people already say she will do great things, she always strives to be even better than what they expect – not for them, but for herself.

“I think it just takes determination, ambition and having the knowledge of what [you are] capable of,” Charuma said.“That’s what leads to success.”