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Sheldon senior Standley reflects on high school days
Sheldon High School senior Lakin Standley, a second baseman for the Lady Panther softball program said she was saddened by the premature end to the school year.
“My fondest memories were being with my friends from Sheldon, going on trips, and getting to have those experiences — and this year it got cut short,” she said.
Standley discussed what she will miss most about high school.
“Just getting to have those last memories with my classmates and my school,” she said. “Just didn’t really get that closure that I wanted. That’s what I will miss the most, just parts that got taken out, that I won’t ever get back.”
Standley said it was also heartbreaking that she won’t get to experience senior trip with her peers, as Sheldon’s senior class had worked diligently to make its trip to Florida a reality.
“We worked really hard as classmates,” Standley said in a somber tone. “We worked all the time in the cafeteria to get points, and at basketball games. And as a small-town, that was such a big deal to go to Florida.”
Standley said her favorite teachers are Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) instructor Rodney Blakeman, and teacher and softball coach Mike Galimberto.
“Mr. Blakeman was always giving great advice, especially throughout senior year,” she said. “He’s always just been there for me and asked me if I needed anything. He’s had a really positive impact. If I was ever down at school, he was always telling me ‘you got this’ and gave me great, positive advice — that I feel like every kid needs at some point.”
Said Standley of Galimberto: “Mr. ‘G’ was another of my favorite teachers through high school. He was one of those teachers you just clicked with.”
Summed up Standley: “I feel like Mr. Galimberto and Mr. Blakeman had a major impact on my high school career.”
Galimberto said it was a joy coaching Standley for three years, and that he is deeply saddened he will not get the opportunity to coach her as a senior.
She was always attentive, and put her heart into it,” Galimberto said. “She didn’t have to be told, was proactive, and would do her very best — always jumping in with both feet. If I asked her to do something, there was no whining, she would do it.”
Summed up Galimberto: “She could come and talk to me about things that were bothering her, or whatever. I just love that kid, she’s a great kid.”
Standley said she has many lasting memories from her softball career. “We didn’t win a lot of games, but Coach Galimberto was never mad, was always positive and he always made softball fun. He always told us ‘win-or-lose, we’re always going to have fun.’ He was always happy and positive, and kept us happy.”
Standley, also her chapter’s FFA president, said she plans on attending Crowder College, and wants to pursue a career in occupational therapy. Standley noted that FFA is a very important aspect of her life.
“I definitely want to live on a farm someday,” she said. “I have goats and cattle now, and want to continue raising animals on a farm.”