What is your name and grade? My name is Gracelyn Francis and I’m a senior.

What has been your favorite memory at North so far? My favorite part of SASA has been getting to know my board and co-presidents. We worked together to produce SASA Night, but even more the night itself, I treasure the friendships and memories I made throughout the year with the board. 

What’s your biggest takeaway from high school? My biggest takeaway from high school is that no matter how hard it gets I’ll always make it through. High school was very stressful at times but with a strong faith and support network I was able to get through it. 

What’s your favorite memory at North? My favorite memory at North was the 22-23 Winter Collage Concert. Seeing all the music groups come together and being part of such an amazing production as truly inspiring and reminded me of how much I love music. A close second is Vocal Jazz night because I have been in Vocal Jazz for four years and singing all of our songs with the whole group one last time was a bittersweet experience. 

What’s your favorite hobby? My favorite hobby is singing because it allows me to connect to other people’s hearts and move them with my voice. I love working with my voic3 teacher to develop my technique, but being able to move people with my voice is something I never thought I’d be able to do, and what I love most about singing. 

What has being part of a cultural club/organization shown you? Being part of a cultural organization has shown me that I can celebrate my culture at school, even if my ethnic group is a minority. Before entering high school, I was pretty convinced I would not be sharing my culture at school, but SASA has helped me proudly share my culture with my peers and school community. 

Who’s your favorite musical artist? I don’t listen to music that much, probably because I’m always singing. 

How do you have time to manage your social life with difficult classes? There is always enough time. A lot of times we get wrapped up in school stress and forget to enjoy life, but there is beauty in the simple moments in life and we should take time to enjoy it. 

What would you tell your freshman self? Try new things and push yourself, but know when you’ve put too much on your plate. Respecting your limits can be difficult but it pays off in the end.

How do you juggle extracurricular activities and studies? Honestly, I juggle everything by trusting in God. It’s been a journey throughout high school but as I’ve trusted more in God, things have fallen into place way better than I could have imagined.