ABOVE: Seniors Hayden O’Connor and Emily Schettler have been chosen by Martin County West as their Triple A award winners for their accomplishments in the arts, athletics and academics. Submitted photo.

SHERBURN – Hayden O’Connor and Emily Schettler are the two seniors chosen by Martin County West (MCW) for their Triple A awards, recognizing their achievements in the arts, athletics and academics.

For O’Connor, the arts have played a major part since he was a kid. He began performing in plays and musicals at the age of 7, collaborating with his cousins at the Prairie Fire Children’s Theater in Sherburn. He has also done choir, speech and band. He has been able to participate in the Dorian Music Festival and plays percussion for his church every Sunday before service.

Being so involved in the arts comes from a deep enjoyment and passion, according to O’Connor.

“When I listen to music and when I’m playing music, I truly feel a deep connection. A lot of the time when I’m playing it takes me into another world because I get so involved with focusing on what I’m doing.”

On the athletics side, O’Connor said his main passion is cross-country, which he has pursued since seventh grade, after serving as a manager in sixth grade. Track is his other sport of choice.

While one may not expect athletics and the arts to mingle, O’Connor said there is some overlap.

“While I’m running different races and even during practices, to keep focused on going ahead and not slowing down, I think about music,” he said. “It’s super cool to me too, because during both of its sports, cross country and track, it’s the same time that I have theater. I find myself humming or singing along to the different songs I practice during musical.”

Academically, O’Connor has been on the A or B honor roll every quarter of high school. He does not shy away from a challenge, as he takes a high number of both PSEO and standard high school classes, at nine total for his first semester.

As for how he balances it all out, O’Connor said he has learned to take a step back and look over everything.

“I do rely a lot on music,” he said. “Being able to listen to it in just about everything I do. That helps me balance everything together and realizing I’m doing these things, not because I have to, not because I’m being forced to do them, but because I want to do these things. I truly love excelling in those things so much.”

In leadership, O’Connor has been captain of the cross country team for three years and taken a leadership program at a summer bible camp. In his experience as a leader, O’Connor said he has definitely grown from when he started to now.

“When I first started leading, I focused less on the people and more on the actual activity,” he said. “Now, as a leader, I focus more on the people and less on the activity itself.”

The main volunteering work O’Connor said he does is with his church, including a Thanksgiving food drive for his community, vacation bible school and bible camp. He also volunteers through cross-country and other community events.

Currently, O’Connor plans to major in music education and minor in performing arts. Right now he is choosing between Concordia-Moorhead and Winona.

To be recognized through this award for his achievements is something O’Connor said means a lot, but he clarified that he does not do what he does for the award, but because it is what he wants to do and excel at.

Emily Schettler has made strides in the arts through theater productions since her sophomore year and in choir since her freshman year. She said not being able to do theater in freshman year is one thing she always looks back on.

Through the arts, she said the arts are something she can really pour herself and her heart into.

“I get to play a different person,” Schettler said. “Play a different role that I can’t in athletics or any other thing in school. It’s helped me grow as a person, and it’s really become a big part in my life.”

In athletics, Schettler is a three-sport athlete. Volleyball was her first sport, as she said she has been interested in it since before she can remember. For her high school career, she has also been involved in basketball and softball.

As for why volleyball became such a cornerstone piece for her, she said it is something that just came naturally for her.

“I wasn’t always a setter,” Schettler said. “I became a setter my freshman year. I’ve really been able to find leadership in that role. I’ve always been the one to control the court, and with that control on the court, I have to have a lot of poise and determination.”

Academically, Schettler has been on the A honor roll all four years and has over 30+ credits in PSEO college courses. In those classes, she said they can be a bit difficult to strike a balance with.

“It comes with a good challenge,” Schettler said. “I’m able to sit down and be able to go at my own pace and not have to sit through lectures and stuff. Just be able to do it myself.”

On the leadership front, she has been a volleyball captain for two years, basketball captain for one, a participant in National Honor Society, song leader at her local church and peer tutor. As a leader, she said she feels pride and comfort in helping others through their struggles.

“I’ve always been told by my coaches I was a natural-born leader,” Schettler said. “I always like knowing, like in volleyball, where everybody’s supposed to be, knowing what play we’re running and all that stuff. I’ve kind of been the one people come to.”

Schettler volunteers at her local church, does Hope Cafe where they serve people hot meals when they can’t afford them, gives back to the community through MCW give back and helps with the humane society.

Finding opportunities to volunteer is something Schettler said she does by finding her passions.

“I figure out what I’m passionate about, what I really want to help with,” she said. “Volunteering for our community comes easy, because, as I said before, they do so much for us with sports and athletics and all that stuff. Our community is really supportive of us as students.”

Regarding her future, Schettler is committed to Dakota Wesleyan University to play volleyball and wants to major in biology and do the athletic training master’s program.

By being chosen for the Triple A award, Schettler said it means a lot to be recognized for all the things she does because she loves doing them.