Senior Brittany Burham has launched her academic career in the right path as a result of all her dedicated work during her high school years. By balancing her rigorous workloads and abundant involvement in clubs, Burham has earned the title of a well-rounded student.

Burham has been the president of Avedium club for the past two years and a member for four. As president, she organizes events the club will participate in, as well as leads discussions presented in meetings. In the past, the club has put sticky notes on every students’ lockers with motivational quotes on them.

“The club’s main mission is to make all students feel accepted, appreciated, and acknowledged. We hope by doing little things like putting encouraging notes on students’ lockers, that at least one person’s day will be brightened,” Burham said.

Burham is also a member of the Student Government Association and Senior Class Cabinet. She has been a member of both clubs all four years and has contributed by helping run and plan school class events.

“I think that my club involvement really shaped the person I have become over the past four years. Starting in 9th grade I was very shy and kept to myself, however, the clubs I was involved in definitely helped open me up. It was a great opportunity to make friends and to find a place that I felt welcome and accepted,” Burham said. “As the years went on and I became more involved and given more jobs and tasks to do, I feel as though it helped me become more responsible and dependable.”

In addition to clubs, academics have always been a main priority for Burham. She has taken AP courses all throughout high school, which can be challenging, but with studying and dedication Burham handled them with ease.

“It was a bit difficult at first managing my time with my academics, club involvement, volunteering, and family responsibilities, however, as the years, went by I became better with time management skills and learned not to overload myself,” Burham said. “It does get stressful at times; however, I like everything I do and I like keeping myself occupied. I actually feel as though I am more anxious and stressed when I’m not involved.”

Now Burham looks to the future. She has always expressed an interest in the medical field, leading her to pursue multiple programs and internships.

“I represented Pennsylvania at the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in 2016 which really influenced my career path. At the Congress I earned an Award of Excellence and a Leadership Ambassador Certificate for attending,” Burham said. “I also attended the National College admissions Conference at Yale in 2017. I am a Quest Bridge College Prep Scholar, as well as a member of the National Society of Torch and Laurel.”

After an intense interviewing process, Burham landed an internship with the Career Linking Academy through St. Luke’s Hospital. Through the program, Burham is able to have a tangible grasp on what it is like to have a profession in medicine.

“Through my many visits there, many employees have encouraged me to look into the St. Luke’s School of Nursing. After doing so, I immediately fell in love with their program, which is why I plan on attending this fall,” Burham said.

At St. Luke’s, Burham will be majoring in neonatal nursing to become a neonatal nurse practitioner. This entails taking care of premature and sick newborns in intensive care units.

“This prospect of the medical field really appealed to me and felt like the perfect match because I just love kids, especially babies,” Burham said.

By setting the bar high for herself these past four years, Burham has embedded a successful path for her future. She will undoubtedly excel in whatever path she chooses to her hard work ethic and determination to succeed.