NORTHROP — Whether it’s academics, athletics, music or uniquely — even working at an area grocery store, Lydia Steinhaus likes a challenge.

“I get a little competitive when I’m helping fill online grocery orders,” said Martin Luther’s honored speaker for the Northrop-based high school’s 2020 commencement ceremonies on May 23. “I’m thinking to myself, ‘Am I doing a good job? Am I shopping faster than my co-workers? Did I find everything on the list that person wanted?’

“I always try to be the best at whatever I do or the best I can be.”

The only downside, according to Steinhaus, of striving to be No. 1 at providing a valuable service to community shoppers is that she’s an extrovert working behind the scenes.

“Filling those orders isn’t as rewarding because I don’t get to see the customers in person,” said Steinhaus, “but the positive (aspect) is I do get to interact with customers in the aisles inside the store. That’s good because I’m definitely a people person.”

The National Honor Society member will look to put her people skills to the test when she takes the first steps toward pursing a degree in the Lutheran ministry and apologetics at Concordia University in Chicago this fall.

The 2020 Triple ‘A’ Award female sectional nominee and 2019 Excel Award winner plans to utilize her eventual collegiate academic degrees in four years to become a professor of biology and/or theology.

Steinhaus is looking forward to the “whole college experience” in a Midwestern city of nearly 9 million residents.

Ironically, she already has a connection to Chicago and she hasn’t even registered for classes yet.

“I’m learning to play the bassoon and I’ve taken one (online) lesson from an instructor in Chicago,” said Steinhaus. “My instructor said it’s an instrument that people don’t usually start out with, but that’s why it stood out to me. I like a challenge.”

Hopefully, Steinhaus can produce melodic notes on the bassoon as smoothly as she distributed set assists to her Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman Jaguar teammates on the prep volleyball court during her past three letter-winning seasons.

The Jaguar program’s No. 3 all-time set assist leader closed out her prolific high school volleyball career with 1,167 helpers to complement pounding out Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman’s No. 2 all-time best service aces total of 116.

“(Sports) was a great opportunity to develop as a person, but those accomplishments don’t always carry over into life,” said Steinhaus. “The experiences of the people I’ve met through athletics have helped me grow.”

Now, the 2019 Sentinel All-Area co-volleyball player of the year will look to be a part of history at Concordia University in Chicago when she joins the second-year Division III spiking program.

“I’m looking forward to playing at the next level against more competition,” said Steinhaus, who distributed a team-leading 420 set assists to complement 176 digs and 32 service aces during her senior prep campaign last fall.

The two-time All-Area and all-Valley Conference setter/defensive specialist said she’s grateful to all of Martin Luther’s teaching staff and her Jaguar athletic coaches and teammates for everything they’ve done for her.

“All of them have encouraged me as a person, helped me overcome adversity, and helped me improve myself,” said Steinhaus. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my support system.”