Meet Maria Wadley, an exceptional student at Hoover High School, known for her involvement in her school and her eagerness to try new things. Being a part of many clubs and sports, Wadley never has a quiet moment. Not only does she participate in many activities, but also holds leadership positions in many of them.

“I am involved in Link Crew (commissioner senior year/leader junior year), Agape Girls, ASL Club, Leadership Club, Lit Mag, Teen Institute (co-social media), National Honors Society, and Student Council (class representative) as well as Business Manager for the Choir Student Executive Board,” she said. “I am also involved in and have lettered each year in Varsity Tennis (Team Captain Junior and Senior year) and Track (distance and hurdles). Though outside of Hoover, I have been involved with Hoover YoungLife throughout all of High School and it has led a great role in shaping me into the student and person I am today.”

With her deep involvement in clubs and sports, she has created many opportunities to make new relationships with people in her community.

“Due to my involvement in so many different activities, I have broadened my connections and ability to work with all types of people/interests,” she said. “Being a part of these many groups has created a community for me and relationships that I hold very close. Getting involved was the best decision I made as a new Hoover student freshman year because it gave me a sense of belonging that I wouldn’t have found otherwise.”

Wadley has been very dedicated to her sports teams since freshman year, being a part of both tennis and track. Varsity tennis coach Mrs. Kay McHolm talked about how she has seen Wadley’s growth throughout the years.

“Maria is a natural leader both on and off the tennis court,” she said. “Whether it’s giving someone a ride, picking up after the team, or helping put equipment away Maria sees the needs of the team and others and will meet those needs without even being asked. Maria has grown over the past four seasons on the tennis team in both skill and leadership. She puts in more hours of court time than any other player on the boys or girls teams with a total of 216 hours. She is a hard worker and models what it means to be an exceptional athlete. Maria emulates many qualities that I hope all Hoover players strive to achieve such as dedication, integrity, grit, reliability and being a team player.”

Although participating in many clubs and sports has brought a lot of community to her, it is not always easy. Wadley tells us how she stays motivated during the stressful seasons.

“Though being involved in so many things is very fun, I have had many days where everything seems to fall apart,” she said. “Balancing all of my involvements has been both extremely stressful but also a growing experience. Learning how to juggle many responsibilities at once is not just something we must learn in high school, but also carry out into the ‘real world’. I continued to be motivated through the people in the many communities who I knew were counting on me as the clubs/sports rely on all members.”

Last school year, Wadley joined the Marine Biology program. Marine Biology teacher Mrs. Sarah Covington, talks about how she has seen Maria shine throughout this program and make an impact on students around her.

“During Marine Biology, Maria had such a positive attitude,” she said, “She was always smiling and seemed genuinely excited to be part of the program. This made an impression on me because sometimes with a mix of students from all over Stark County, our marine bio students act extra shy or get ‘too cool for school’ attitudes, so seeing her have fun and participate was encouraging to me as a teacher. I am lucky to have Maria in two of my classes this year and I think that her decision to complete the Biomedical Sciences program demonstrates her love of science and a deep dedication to her education.”

Wadley has worked extremely hard her whole high school career but she still gives herself time to relax and have fun. She tells us some of her favorite memories.

“Some of my favorite high school memories are from overnight trips during tennis season and Friday night football games with friends,” she said. “I also find that some of the best memories are the small moments I have with friends, both in and out of school. Building relationships with people is one of the most rewarding experiences I have had at Hoover.”

Wadley has truly left a lasting impression on Hoover High School. She looks to the future and leaves with this advice.

“Being a high schooler can be extremely challenging and it can be hard to feel like others understand,” she said. “My biggest advice for high school students would be to not let fear of trying new things get in the way of the immense opportunities you have around you. The best way to feel connected is to go after goals that may seem impossible — it is only impossible if you never try.”