Bay High senior Ava Walker is National Merit Finalist

Bay High senior Ava Walker is National Merit Finalist.

Ava Walker, a senior at Bay High School, is a 2018 National Merit Finalist. Ava earned the prestigious academic distinction with her score on the 2016 Preliminary SAT (PSAT) taken during her junior year in high school. The nationwide pool of finalists represents less than one percent of the 1.6 million students from 22,000 U.S. high schools who take the PSAT.

Ava plans to major in mathematics with a focus in actuarial science when she attends college next year. She is leaning toward attending Kent State University.

“I’ve always liked math,” she said. “Then, when I had my statistics class about two years ago, I really enjoyed it. It’s bringing in real-world problems, and it gives a real, practical use to math."

The cross-country runner also plays viola in the Bay High Pit Orchestra. “Pit Orchestra has definitely been one of my favorite experiences at Bay High,” she said. “Even though it’s a lot of work after school, it is just so much fun to get together with my friends from band and orchestra to hear everything and watch the school musical from down in the pit. It’s a really fun environment.”

Ava has participated in her school’s Model UN program and Culture Club’s Team Africa. She also volunteers as a junior coach for the nonprofit Girls On The Run, working with elementary-aged girls to build self-confidence while training to run.

After enjoying her high school jobs at the city pool and as a referee for youth soccer, Ava now looks forward to a future career in the banking or insurance industries once she passes the license exam to be an actuary.

"Ava deserves this level of recognition for all her hard work," said Bay High School Principal Jason Martin. "She is a tremendous student with a strong work ethic and commitment to her studies."

Karen Derby

Director of Communications for the Bay Village City School District

Read More on Schools
Volume 10, Issue 4, Posted 9:37 AM, 02.20.2018