Princeton University, one of the most prestigious universities in the world. which held the likes of the late great Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer as professors, will open its doors to their next gifted newcomer this fall semester: Oviedo High School senior Mikayla Barton. As someone of responsibility, being the president of Best Buddies, and the Co-President of the OHS Book Club, Barton is far from unready for the work and time they will have to utilize when the semester begins.
“I knew I was ready to finish,” Barton said. “Once you get past the scariness of college applications, there is the excitement of getting to go to college. And I wasn’t sad that I was leaving it behind at all. I’m ready for the year to be done and move on.”
Barton is looking forward to beginning the college experience, and being familiarized with all of the wonderful opportunities that come with it, and has worked hard for this dream to come true. Barton also knows that it is possible for other students with a dream to do the same to copy their achievements.
“Fight for what you want. When you’re working with a team of leaders, it’s all about give and take. But if you don’t make an effort to say what you want and share the opinions that you have, like you’ll never get to go anywhere and it can be a scary thing,” Barton said.
Their teachers share the excitement and pride for Barton to be sent off to university.
“You got this, and I’m so excited for you,” Biotechnology teacher Kathy Savage said. “You better stay in touch, I love you!”
Savage knows how much it means for a student to appreciate what they are doing for them, and earning validation from a student.
“If they can see my passion and enthusiasm for the topic that I teach, I can only hope that enthusiasm somehow transfers to them in some way.”
It was not just Savage that appreciated Mikayla’s devotion and contributed to their success. Hildreth House, who teaches Advanced Placement Psychology, also played an important role in Barton’s high school career.
“You can build relationships with the kids, and you still have the work and maintain that rigor in your classroom, but you get to know the kids pretty well,” House said.
House also realizes how much it means to have a student give credit to a teacher as someone who helped them attain an achievement such as this.
“It is something that I’ve been doing for twenty plus years. It is rewarding, especially to run into a former student or to hear that students did enjoy your class, especially when you put so much effort and work into it,” House said.
Both House and Savage wish the best towards Barton for their college experience, but they know that Mikayla is ready to take college head-on.
“Stay true to who she is, stay true to yourself,” House said as advice for Barton. “Just continue to keep working hard. Keep your focus on your goal.”
Savage also believes Barton is prepared for the next step.
“She is hilarious, passionate, and feisty,” Savage said. “The colleges are so ready for her, she will do great and make the most of her experience there.”
Barton has enjoyed all of the time spent here at Oviedo High School, and gives advice to underclassmen, who might want to achieve feats similar to hers.
“Calm down even if you think everything is under your control,” Barton said. “Just breathe and let it all happen the way it’s supposed to rather than fixating on what it should be.”
