Q: Name?
A: Kara Hassenfratz.
Q: Class Rank?
A: 3rd.
Q: Parents’ Names?
A: Jackie and Kevin Hassenfratz.
Q: Future Plans?
A: I plan on attending University at Buffalo for biology and music performance.
Q: Honors & Awards?
A: New York State Attorney General's Triple C Award, National Rural and Small Town Recognition Award, scholar athlete and honor roll.
Q: Activities & Sports?
A: Swim team, tennis team, band, chorus, mock trial, student government, National Honor Society and science club.
Q: What is your proudest achievement?
A: My proudest achievement is being selected to participate in the 2024 NYSSMA All-State Treble Choir out of thousands of high schoolers across the state based on a solo performance.
Q: What will you miss most about school?
A: I'll really miss being so close to all of my friends and being a part of a small, tight-knit community.
Q: What’s the most important lesson you learned in high school?
A: Everything is worth doing - even if it's hard, feels silly, or seems pointless.
Q: What do you hope your life looks like in 10 years?
A: I hope that I'll be on the right path, one that makes me happy, and that I'll be surrounded by the people that I love.
Q: Who inspires you to do your best? Why this person?
A: My mom inspires me to do my best. No matter what she has to get done, how she's feeling, or what she's going through, she's always shown up and encouraged me to be the best person I can be. I don't know where I would be today without her belief in me.
Q: What’s your go-to Yummies order?
A: Twist in a cone with rainbow sprinkles!
Q: If you could tell your eighth grade self one thing, what would it be?
A: You can achieve so much more than you let yourself believe that you can.
Q: Who would play you in a movie about your life?
A: Emma Stone.
Q: What’s your most-listened to song?
A: My most listened to song is “Everyone Adores You (at least I do),” by Matt Maltese. I never intended for it to be my most listened to song, but I like how it sounds and the lyrics are reassuring in a way. It's comforting.
Q: What scares you about the future?
A: A lot of things.
Q: What gives you hope about the future?
A: The knowledge that I will always have people who love and support me in my life, even if it's just a few people. That gives me enough hope that the future will be alright.
Q: If you had to cook a meal to impress someone, what would you make?
A: I would probably cook some sort of pasta dish because that's all I can make that I know will taste good.
Q: What superpower would you pick and why?
A: I would probably choose to be able to teleport because I'm always late.
Q: Imagine it’s 2047 and you have teenage kids of your own. What advice would you give your 40(ish)-year-old self about being a good parent?
A: Encourage your children. Encourage them to be themselves, to do what they're passionate about, to try hard, and to do good. Make sure that they truly know they have people in their corner always ready to support them.