“To know Kenley is to love Kenley.” That’s how Lindsay Settlemyre describes Kenley Belcher. Belcher is a senior at Millbrook
High School who has undoubtedly left her mark at Millbrook. Belcher has balanced an outstanding academic record, a dedication to extracurriculars, and a strong social life. From cross country and track, four honors societies, class council, sports medicine wrestling lead, and much more, Belcher takes passion in her education and social life. Belcher has maintained a 4.0 unweighted GPA, which is a reflection of her dedication and perseverance. She has taken many AP classes, as well as passed those AP exams and earned the AP scholar award for this incredible accomplishment. She also became the school’s Cattalk Newspaper editor-in-chief. Belcher has managed to accomplish so much at Millbrook and her best advice, without a doubt, is “do as much as you can”!
Her commitment to academics and leadership is noticeable as she has been involved in National Honor Society, English Honors Society, Math Honors Society, and Rho Kappa Honors Society. She has done class council all four years, helping decorate for spirit weeks, pitch ideas for future projects, and donate to organizations that the council works with. As a junior she was honored as a Junior Marshall for her academic achievements and excellence. Throughout high school she has also run cross country, winter track, and spring track. Her dedication has not gone unnoticed by her teammates and coaches. Belcher’s coach, Coach Adams, speaks very highly of her, saying “She is a positive influence on the team, especially because of her positive attitude and her ability to push through discomfort, providing an example to our other athletes in the process.” Belcher inspires others to stick with it through her perseverance and leadership.
Alongside her academic and athletic achievements, Belcher has dedicated over 100 hours to sports medicine this year alone. As of this year she became the wrestling lead for sports med. She has learned many valuable skills from this and plans to take them with her in her future years. Emilia Castaneda says Kenley is knowledgeable about sports medicine and has taught her a lot.
Outside of school Belcher works three days a week while still being able to maintain her school work and dedication to her education. Her time management skills and hard work has all paid off as she has gotten into all of the colleges she applied to. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, East Carolina University, and Appalachian State University are Belcher’s top choices. While she hasn’t made her final decision yet, she is extremely proud of her accomplishments and can’t wait to see what the future holds. She plans to go into the nursing program in hopes to be a trauma nurse, a field that perfectly aligns with Belcher’s dedication to helping others. She also plans to sustain running by joining a running club, keeping up with the sport that was very formative in her high school experience.
Aside from her hard work and dedication in school she finds it important to maintain a social life and build friendships. Lindsay Settlemyre says that Kenley is always looking to meet new friends and make others feel welcome. Her kindness, friendliness, and outgoing nature have allowed her to build strong relationships, which she cherishes and values. For Kenley, high school has been more than just academics; it has been about friendships and experiences that she has gained along the way. “I want to stay in high school just because of all the friends I’ve made,” she says, looking back on all the meaningful connections she has built over the years.
Kenley Belcher is a clear example of hard work, dedication, and compassion. Her ability to find a balance for academics, extracurriculars, and a social life with hard work and dedication makes her stand out as a great leader and student. As she prepares for the next steps in life, she will surely make a difference wherever she goes. Whether in school, sports, or the medical field, Belcher will lead with passion and effort to help her succeed. Her time at Millbrook will be remembered, and she has such a bright future ahead.
