Some people go through life trying to figure out what they want to do, and some figure it out early on. Jennifer Usnik has wanted to be valedictorian since she was in kindergarten.

Of course, at that age she had no idea what she was getting into.

After achieving that goal on May 19, Usnik admits that it was hard work and &uot;a lot of sleepless nights.&uot;

Usnik, Adams County Christian School’s class of 2000 valedictorian, STAR Student and Hall of Fame member, sometimes sat up late to finish homework left undone while she was busy with other activities.

Activities like organizing community service projects for the Key Club, campaigning as a Teenage Republican, or being involved in the River City Run and Unicef’s campaign against iodine deficiency just to name a few.

Not to mention school activities like being in Youth Legislature for four years, on drill team, tennis, and being captain of scholars bowl and quiz bowl teams.

Then there were religion classes every Wednesday night at St. Mary’s Basilica.

She claims, however, that all these activities round her out. &uot;I’m not all about sports, academics, or politics,&uot; she said.

Usnik also drove a car pool of five to six students every afternoon in the family minivan.

&uot;I paid my dues for two years, being the only kid that drove a minivan to school — Mr. Plymouth — but I got a 2000 Sentra SE for graduation. That was the one thing that I felt I really deserved,&uot; she said.

Although Usnik excels in academics, it was her athletic ability that won her a scholarship to Belhaven College in Jackson.

This summer she is on the USTA Junior Team Tennis circuit and will play for Belhaven in the fall.&uot;When I’m out there playing tennis, I give it my all,&uot; she said.

But it is in the field of computer science that Usnik will pursue a career. &uot;Pretty soon the computer will be taking over all the major fields — so, I don’t figure I’ll have trouble finding a job,&uot; she said.

Usnik claims to be a &uot;natural&uot; on the computer because she has grown up with them. But it was her mom whom she credits with encouraging her to pursue a career in graphic layout. &uot;She really turned me on to it. I was doing a collage for my scrapbook and she thought it was so precise. I would like to go into magazine layout.&uot;

The most important thing in Usnik’s life is trying to keep everything she does in perspective with her future.

This type of thinking could lend itself to a few more of the sleepless nights, but she has a solution to even that down time — she writes poetry. &uot;I love to sit there and not really think and just write,&uot; she said.

With so much going on in her life, it would be hard to think that Usnik would have time for friends. But it is her friends, she said, that watch out for her and keep her in line. &uot;One of my friends says I’m going to have a midlife crisis before I’m 20, but I figure what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and God never put more on me than I can handle.&uot;

This is the first in a series of stories about recent valedictorians and salutatorians from our area.