Mount Pleasant Magazine Nov/Dec 2020

35 www.BestOfMP.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com academic skills and offer social and emotional support. Academics are rounded out with many performance arts offerings, 2- and 3-D art studios, science labs and maker-spaces, plus a sports program that includes two gymnasiums, a weight room, two practice fields and a competition track and field circuit. PEYTON VRANICH IS A BECKHAM BENGAL Do you remember what high school was like — the crowded hallways with sticker-hijacked lockers, Friday night football games, awkward dances and fashion fads? High school is a rite of passage. It’s the first few years of independence and the last few years of freedom. Peyton Vranich is a freshman at Lucy Beckham High School. She’s a typical student and athlete: hardworking and quietly confident. She moved to Mount Pleasant when she was 6, and she loves it here. You will find sand in her flip-flops and the smell of saltwater in her hair. She will tell you the first taste of freedom she experienced was roaming the streets of Old Village on her bike. When she is older, she will reminisce about sitting at the counter at Pitt Street Pharmacy in the late afternoons with her friends. Her day-to-day life is similar to that of many teenagers who will walk the halls of Lucy Beckham High School over the years. Ultimately, these students will define the shape of this sparkly new academic facility. Peyton’s story is just one thread of the Beckham fabric that is being woven. “If I had to point to what defines who I am today, I would have to mention that I started figure skating when I was 6 years old. I used to get up at 5 a.m., take a 6 a.m. lesson at the Ice Palace and then go to school. I competed regionally. Figure skating is an individual sport. It’s just you out there on the ice. It taught me to be tough and also realize that being on your own is sometimes okay. I did miss having the support of a team, though, and so I eventually gave it up to focus on something else I really love: lacrosse. I have to admit, in the beginning lacrosse was all about wearing the uniform and hanging out with my friends, not skills. But as I got older and the competition got harder, I realized that I wanted to push myself to be a better player. My teammates motivated and supported me. That support was essential in making me want to improve my skills and to be a better teammate. I guess I am approaching high school with a combination of these early experiences. I’m not a little kid anymore, guided through school. It’s really up to me to figure it out. Having Independent Learning Time built into my day is invaluable. Since most of us have after-school activities, it’s a good way to stay organized and get some homework out of the way. I have only had a few CREW sessions, but it’s great to have the support of a teacher you can go to independently to ask questions. It makes the transition to high school a little easier. I think, going forward, Peyton Vranich is a freshman at Lucy Beckham High School. education