After years of learning on mountainsides, in airports, and from textbooks in between workouts, I’m graduating high school! My path wasn’t traditional, but it was mine. I was homeschooled my entire life, and while it came with challenges and doubts from others, it gave me the freedom to chase every opportunity that came my way. I am very proud of the education I received, both academically and through life experiences.

Homeschooling allowed me to take school on the road. I took it into the mountains, across countries, and through all my seasons of growth. I am finishing with a 4.0 GPA, including 29 college credits at the University of Alaska Anchorage. I learned from running a small business I started in grade school, where I managed sales and customer relationships on my own. I gained confidence speaking in front of large audiences to inspire other young athletes, and I performed as a musician before I ever picked up a biathlon rifle. One of the most meaningful parts of my journey has been volunteering with Skiku, where I’ve spent one week each year in a rural Alaskan community teaching kids how to ski. This year, I had the opportunity to serve as the lead instructor in Kivalina. Each of these experiences has taught me responsibility, connection, and the value of giving back. All these things have shaped me far beyond sports. I didn’t do more or less than my peers, I just did it differently! 

So, what’s next?! In one week, I’ll be moving to Switzerland for the summer to train with some of the best athletes in the world. It’s a huge leap, but one I’m ready for. I don’t know exactly what the future holds, and that is okay. I am confident I will find success in my life, because I work hard, care deeply, and pursue my passions with purpose.

This year I will begin pursuing a degree in business with future plans to study law, all while continuing to chase my athletic dreams. I’ve always had a wide range of passions, and I’m grateful that homeschooling gave me the space to explore them all. Being an athlete is just one part of who I am. I know that sports can be unpredictable, so I’m building a life with purpose and direction outside of competition too.

Today, as a symbolic full circle moment, I skied one last time with my best friends at my favorite place, Hatcher’s Pass. My very first pair of skis, the ones I learned on, trained on, and raced on, broke on the way up and over the pass. I took those skis up to Hatcher’s the very first time I ever skied. This felt like the end of an era. We all took turns skiing on them one last time before taking our graduation pictures in those same mountains. (There was no other way to get up the pass without sharing the burden of broken skis!) 

This journey isn’t just about sport. It’s about growth, change, gratitude, and becoming the person I want to be. And this is just the beginning.

Thank you to everyone who believed in me. My family, friends, mentors, and supporters mean so much to me. If you’d like to support my next steps as I move to Switzerland, you can visit my GoFundMe page here. Every little bit means the world and helps me chase this dream with all I’ve got.

My parents, friends, and family did so much of the work, but these two Anchorage School District teachers and mentors are are the backbone and unspoken heros that made my journey and success possible.

Here’s to big changes, new adventures, and honoring the past while stepping boldly into the future.