Catherine is a 17 year-old senior at a METS High School. She is the oldest of three (both her younger brother and sister are fellow Talent Search students) and will be the first in her family to earn a bachelors degree. Catherine is an extraordinarily studious individual earning the title of her school’s Valedictorian.

Catherine was the recipient of last year’s Bausch and Lomb Science Award, the AP Biology award and Smith’s Book Award. She is one of the founding members of the Rotary Interact Club, a community service organization in the area. She learned a great deal from this experience and found it difficult to recruit students that would continue their participation. Catherine has found her way into her High School’s history books by becoming the first student to earn a 5 on her AP Biology exam! She is traveling to Costa Rica at the end of the winter and earned money to attend this trip by selling countless items.

Since Catherine can remember, she has always wanted to go college. Her motivation was to make her family proud, and she knew at a young age that a college education would give her many more career opportunities. In middle school, she became fascinated with an astronomy assignment and became hooked on science. Her 7th grade teacher concocted several interesting lab assignments such as building a digestive system in the hallway. As of now, Catherine plans to major in Biology. She is still deciding on a specific career path, but is sure it will be in the science field.

Through the Maine Educational Talent Search program, Catherine has had several opportunities to visit college campuses throughout New England. She has driven many miles to visit colleges including the University of Vermont, Boston College, Tufts University, and the University of Maine. She states that, “my METS Counselor, Danielle has helped me in many ways. She helped a lot with the CSS Profile and FAFSA.” Additionally, Catherine has received help finding suitable schools for science majors.

Catherine sees the vital importance of receiving a college education so that, “I can have a job that I like.” She clearly sees that a college degree will offer her many more career choices. Catherine has already been accepted to the University of Maine and Northeastern University. She is still waiting to hear from Dartmouth University, Bates College, Bowdoin College, Colby College, Tufts University, Boston University, and Cornell University. She will make her college decision this spring.

© 2008 Maine Educational Talent Search (METS)

The Maine Educational Talent Search Project is funded entirely by the US Department of Education. The grant award for 2007-2008 is $510,255.

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This site last revised 3/3/2008 Comments or questions? Send email to Steve Visco (visco@umit.maine.edu)