by Amalia Newhagen, staff writer
Victoria Koutras isn’t your typical “busy” highschooler. She not only dominates in softball and basketball, but also works at Taco Bell while participating in the Red Cross Committee.
Koutras moved here from Prince George’s county only three years ago, and the transition was difficult. “I had to adjust to a new atmosphere with new people,” she said. “I never experienced a classroom with so many people let alone an entire school. It was hard to leave my friends that I grew up with since preschool, but I knew my life was just taking me on a new journey.”
Koutras played JV basketball and softball her freshman year. Entering her sophomore year, she was pulled up to varsity basketball late in the season. After making a lot of friends, and learning a lot about herself in the process, Koutras obviosuly decided to play her junior year. “In basketball I learned teamwork. I worked with other people in order to accomplish a goal. Softball taught me how to have a positive attitude, because you are never going to succeed if you are holding onto a mistake.”
Always been interested in helping others, Victoria joined the Red Cross Committee her sophomore year. “She’s a really caring person who truly cares about other people. You can’t say that about everyone,” explained Doria Pertea, a friend and a club member of Victoria’s.
She’s wanted to become a nurse ever since she was a child because of her mom. “It’s all I can picture myself doing when I think about my life in the future,” Koutras adds.
In order to succeed in both academics and her extracurricular activities, Koutras has to stay organized. She writes down her goals for the day in the morning so she can reflect on them before she leaves for school. “Whenever I walk into Victoria’s room, I can see the notes on post it pads she puts in her desk and room. She’s very organized which is how she manages her time,” says Koutras’ father.
Koutras has certainly encountered a wide range of experiences in her high school career, learning from both the highs, and lows. With her determination and effort, she is able to succeed in her current tasks, whether it being sports, clubs, her job, or school. Becoming a nurse in the future is not a question of difficulty for Koutras, it is a question of willpower, which she certainly has.