Senior class president Lindsey Dattis balances school, sports, work and extracurriculars daily. She is also a field hockey captain and a staple member of the National Honor Society. Can HB learn anything from Dattis’ dedication to being part of her community?

Dattis has always been a star student, pushing herself to learn at an advanced level despite the stresses it may bring. 

When asked about her most challenging year at the school, Dattis said, “Junior year was definitely very difficult.” Having exhausted most of her desired AP courses between 2020 and 2022, Dattis is now enrolled in only one, AP Biology.

Homework is a big concern for almost everybody involved in education, and in Dattis’ case, she estimates that she spends upwards of five hours per week on homework. This may not seem like a significant amount to most underclassmen, but juniors and seniors know all too well how homework can throw a wrench in other time-consuming responsibilities.

One of those responsibilities for Dattis is acting as a leader within the student council. As the sitting senior class president, Dattis spends a reported four to five hours per week focusing on Student Council. This includes social media management, occasional fundraising campaigns, coordinating and communicating with advisors and fellow officers, planning senior activities and being a positive role model for many of the younger members of the student body. 

Dattis sees herself running for similar positions in college or university if given the chance.

Dattis added that she currently spends about two hours per week on college prep, which reflects time spent on essay writing and editing, college visits and in-depth research about nursing programs. 

“I want to be a NICU [Neonatal Intensive Care Unit] nurse or a pediatric nurse practitioner,” Dattis said. 

Although she would like to continue her field hockey career into her college years, Dattis doubts she will be able to balance a sport alongside her rigorous nursing studies.

According to Dattis, field hockey practice consumes about two hours per day during the season, barring game days, which can last just as long depending on the game. 

Dattis says that the current season is going very well for both Varsity and JV. Captain of the varsity team, Dattis indicated that this year will likely be the peak of her almost six-year record if she decides against playing in college.

“She’s really ambitious and driven,” said Assistant Field Hockey Coach Tate Klauber.

Some sacrifices have to be made for the sake of a balanced schedule, but Dattis didn’t want to give up her senior year of field hockey to make room in her schedule, so she found another place where she could save some time. 

“Right now I’m on leave [from work] because of field hockey,” said Dattis. When she is working, 16 hours a week is not an atypical amount for her to spend at her job. 

In the free time that Dattis is left with, she does volunteer work for the NHS, watches movies, hangs out with friends and reads books. 

When asked for a piece of advice to pass on to underclassmen, Dattis said, “School isn’t everything, so don’t worry about it too much. I’m not saying ‘don’t try’, but have a good time.”