Few can boast over 100 hours of dedication to a single activity, much less find time to participate in nine other activities, volunteer at a local hospital, and become a horror movie aficionado: all within four years of high school. Senior Catie Schirmers has managed to do just that.
Though many support the actors of our student body, few know that almost every theater production has completely depended on Schirmers, the one in charge of running the entire show from backstage. “I am in charge of calling the show, which means getting people into places, calling all the lighting cues and starting everything up,” said Schirmers, “before the show, I’m at most of the practices, taking blocking notes for the actors in my ‘bible’ which has every place and movement recorded.”
Beginning stage managing as a junior, she has been involved with eight shows in the last two years––this year alone, she’s managed “Charlie Brown” and “Anything Goes” , acted in “Dead Man Walking” and the One Act, and student directed “Annie Junior.” This dedication earned her one of two senior drama awards for 2010.
Along with all of her theater involvement, Schirmers somehow made time to participate in three choirs (madrigals, girls’ pop, and pop choir), RKVC, Red Carpet Club, Math League, and volleyball throughout her four years at BSM. As if that wasn’t enough, Schirmers also acted as a speech captain this year.
Schirmers usually spends her limited free time trying out new baking recipes, volunteering at the Abbott Northwestern Hospital front desk and gift shop, and just spending time with her friends from speech and theater. “When I have downtime, you can usually find about half of the cast of ‘Anything Goes’ in my basement,” she said.
Schirmers credits her drive from many positive influences here at BSM. “Mrs. Brew is the reason why I do anything involved with theater or speech,” she said, “and Ms. Green has been a great strong female role model over the past year.” She also credits Mr. Lex for introducing her to Chemistry, a subject she’d like explore more after high school.
At Wellesley College next year, Schirmers plans to study pre-med and eventually go into pediatric oncology, as personal experiences with cancer have shaped her interest in the subject and have lead her to want to make a difference in the field.
Though Schirmers was initially unsure of going to an all girls school, her ultimate choice to choose Massachusetts-based Wellesley =stemmed from a BSM connection. “I chose Wellesley because of Luella Goldberg, Mrs. Goldberg’s mother-in-law. She emphasised the strong alumni system and the power of small, all-women classes,” said Schirmers, “Many strong women have passed through that college and become wonderful assets to society…I hope one day to do the same.”
If the amount of dedication Schirmers has shown to her myriad activities, schoolwork, and classmates is any indication of her future success, there is no doubt that she will have absolutely no problem with that accomplishment.
