Melissa Drill wants to become an orthodontist. She plans to major in both biology and chemistry in college but isn’t sure yet where she’ll end up. The Mound Westonka High School senior is planning to visit several colleges this summer, some close to home and a few farther afield.
She lives with her parents, her younger brother and sister, and a black lab named Koda on almost 20 acres. “I love to spend a lot of time outdoors,” she says. “And, living on 20 acres, I have a lot of opportunity to do that.” She’s also traveled to several national parks and has enjoyed hiking in places like the Grand Canyon and Glacier National Park.
Her favorite academic subjects are the sciences. She’s a strong language student, too. She plays sports—softball, volleyball and basketball—and is a member of DECA, which is a business-oriented club.
We asked each of our Senior Spotlight students to tell us what art means to them, but for Melissa, it’s not an organic fit. She says, “When I think about art, I think about something that is really hard for me and does not come naturally at all ... I wish that I was more artistic overall, especially being able to paint or sing.” But she’s got pretty darn good taste: What’s her favorite work of art? Van Gogh’s painting, Starry Night.
