Written By: Daniel Holscher, Staff Writer
REFLECTION: Maddi Duncan, a graduating Poly High School Senior, reflects on her time spent at Poly
“Who Is Maddi Duncan?”
Madison Duncan, Maddi for short, is a graduating senior member of the Class of 2025. Maddi takes on the task of uplifting those around her, using her positive attitude to build people up, rather than knock them down. “One of the biggest powers the world can give you is kindness and friendship,” Maddi explained. As Maddi found her bearings at Poly she invested her time into the realms of dance and soccer. “Being an athletic person is huge to me,” Maddi emphasized. It was her aim to be involved in “anything and everything,” especially when it came to sports.
“The Poly Legacy”
Maddi has always been keen on staying involved at Poly, especially in spaces that help her to meet new people.. Of course two of her biggest passions are dance and soccer, the foundations of her passionate spirit and drive. Maddi is the captain of the dance team on Poly’s Pep Squad, and captain of the soccer team where she dedicates plays the position of outside back.
“I am also Commissioner of Assemblies in ASB” Maddi explained. “I am basically in charge of all of the assemblies and how they run.” As Maddi touches up on her organizational skill, she also sets her sights on the goodwill of others in the numerous social groups she is a part of. “Being involved in so much helps me reach out to new people- especially people I don’t think I would have ever gotten the chance to talk to.” Being a part of so many exciting changes within the real world and Poly is crucial to her growth as an individual.
Keeping up with these responsibilities is no easy task for someone as involved as Maddi, it takes constant willpower and ambition to keep up with her many activities. “My parents are my biggest help,” Maddi says. “Going from a dance competition to a soccer game, even to an ASB event, I can always count on them to get me to where I need to be.” Although the stress can build up from time to time, “it’s always so worth it,” Maddi reminisced. “Just to be on the teams I am on and be outgoing with all of these other people.” Looking back on her time at Poly she is proud of all of the success that she has experienced, especially with all of the fun moments that tag along with it.
“Passing Through”
“I’ve always wanted to be involved in stunt, especially my sophomore year, but it was just too conflicting with being on the dance team itself.” As Maddi progressed through her years at Poly there is no doubt that turbulent and profound experiences and thoughts will cross her path. “I have like two most embarrassing experiences here” Maddi started, “one was definitely where I was walking up the stairs over there, (200’s quad) and completely ate it on my crutches.” As a freshman, during an assembly, she recalls slipping off the bench in front of everyone. “That was so embarrassing,” Maddi emphasized. But just like all of us these embarrassing moments have shaped Maddi into the person she is today.
“Mrs. Avila’s my favorite teacher,” Maddi says, “she has completely changed my life. I go to her room almost everyday just to catch up and talk to her. She’s always been my biggest supporter here at Poly.” Gathering all the courage she has gained here at Poly, she is “ nervous but eager” to pack her bags and turn the page onto the next chapter of her life.
“Where To?”
As Maddi finishes out her last 3 weeks at Poly before walking the glorious stage of graduation, she has a few pursuits in mind rounding out the next few years of her life. Maddi’s deep love for sports completely shapes the path that she envisions for her future. “As I mentioned earlier I love sports, my goal is to definitely be a sports manager for a soccer team- or a marketing manager for an NBA or NFL team.” She is keen on going into marketing and deal management with the team that she calls home. “Definitely something in terms of making brand deals and advertising the team on their social media,” she continued. With this love for athleticism and its treasurers in mind she plans to attend Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and is set on majoring in Marketing and Management. From this one year course she will apply to the Sports Management Program, before going on to study abroad for Sophomore and Junior year. “I am definitely so excited for that,” Maddi commented. “I am also so excited that all of my friends are going all over to these awesome places, and I get to go visit them and see how their lives are going.” The senior thrill of pursuit drives Maddi’s excitement to carry on with her successful endeavors and experiences she first began at Poly. And although she is closing out this chapter of her life, her book is filled with many more unwritten pages for her to ambitiously make her own.
“How you carry yourself in High School is ultimately how you are going to carry yourself in college,” Maddi closed with. “I always asked myself if I wanted to be the person who ‘studies hard’ or the person who ‘has fun’ all the time.” At the end of the day Maddi found herself to work best as the person “who works hard and has fun while doing it”, solidifying her individuality for the time being as she follows up into a new and exciting stage in her life.
“Life is about lessons, not perfection” – Maddi Duncan 25’