Editor’s note: The Future Leaders of America series profiles high school seniors who display leadership qualities in their school and the community. The series is brought to you by Pridemark Construction.
By Stacey A. Shannon—
MUNCIE, IN—From sports to clubs to acting, Wes-Del High School senior Kylynn New does it all while maintaining a 4.01 GPA. Though she’s a member of the wrestling team and track team, New is passionate about volleyball.
“I love volleyball,” she said. “I’ve been playing it since 5th grade, so that’s definitely a big part of who I am.”
New has also spent three years on a Munciana Volleyball team along with playing on her school’s team. She loves both volleyball and her school so much that she hopes to return to Wes-Del after college to teach English and coach volleyball.
Along with sports, New also belongs to numerous clubs such as Family Career and Consumers of America, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Spanish Club and National Honor Society. She’s also active in the theater and is a student council member.
New, who was chosen as the Gaston Lions Fair Queen in 2025, said being so involved in school and the community is one way she can help encourage other teens as well.
“It’s really important to show my younger classmates and my teammates that it’s OK to branch out and try new things,” New said. “I want to show them that it’s OK to be weird. It’s OK to do different things, enjoy different sports and put yourself out there.”
For all of her accomplishments, New is most proud of her academics. She’s worked to maintain a solid GPA and was recognized as an academic all-star during her junior year by the Rising Stars of Indiana, a program of the Indiana Association of School Principals.
Recently, New was accepted to Ball State University – where she plans to study English education – and received the Ball State Scholars Award which grants her scholarship money over four years.
New said she’s been able to succeed in academics, sports and other activities thanks to the support from her family, coaches, teammates and friends. She has advice for younger students as well.
“Try everything,” she said. “You’ll just never know what you like unless you do it.”
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