In the height of senior year, average students find themselves surrounded by activities, schoolwork and their hectic schedules as a massive transition period nears. For senior Katilin Reynolds, her time is dedicated to a multitude of extracurriculars along with multiple leadership positions as she leaves a significant impact on the community of Millard West. 

Throughout high school, Reynolds has crafted an impressive resume and earned leadership positions due to her commitment to these extracurriculars. Starting with Student Council her freshman year, Reynolds added different clubs and activities to her schedule throughout her time as a student. As an Editor-in-Chief of the Prowler Yearbook, News Director for The Catalyst and anchor for the MWHS Wildcat news, former Junior Class Board member, member of the National Honors Society and Senior Class Board, school board representative and Student Ambassador, Reynolds has a jam-packed schedule as she also balances typical high school classes.

“In middle school, I was involved with a few different activities but as I was going into high school I realized that I wanted to get even more involved,” Reynolds said. “I joined the Student Council and took Introduction to Journalism which led to me joining multiple other activities. Getting involved has made a huge impact on my life, as I have found my passion for being a leader and met countless friends.”

Reynold’s leadership skills have developed throughout her time as a student. While juggling so many activities, she has had the opportunity to cultivate meaningful friendships and thrives as she gets the chance to experience activities that arise through her dedication. 

While the student body supports itself within various activities, Reynolds’ time in these extracurriculars proves to be no different. Her leadership positions in journalism, yearbook, student council and within the school board allow her to form connections with peers and other members of the community. 

“In the yearbook, there have been times when we’re submitting spreads to be proofed that we find the content just isn’t what we had imagined and it doesn’t meet our expectations for what should represent the Prowler,” senior co-Editor Jetta Hoffner said. “Katie has taken initiative multiple times to take on the responsibility of fixing and revamping spreads on top of her many other responsibilities. She is always willing to step up as a leader and do whatever she needs to ensure satisfactory completion of projects.”

Leaders of Millard have made an effort to connect with the student body and worked with Reynolds to gain a student perspective due to her hardworking attitude within the classroom. 

“Katie is extremely hard-working and has the ability to multitask to see assignments through to completion,” Yearbook and Advanced Journalism adviser Mark Hilburn said. “It’s not uncommon for her to be working on a feature broadcast, writing news briefs for the Catalyst, editing yearbook layouts and writing theme copy. Other staff members see her leading by example, and I think that motivates them to work harder.”

Despite a full schedule, Reynolds shares her passion for each project whenever she is participating or working on them.

“The most challenging part about being heavily involved in the time commitment,” Reynolds said. “Most of my free time is spent attending meetings and working towards success in the activities that I am a part of. I wouldn’t change my hectic schedule for anything though. I love staying busy and continuing to discover my passions as I meet new people.”

As Reynolds navigates her senior year, she plans on using the skills she has developed in high school at the University of Kansas while majoring in Digital Communication Design along with Journalism with an emphasis on Strategic Communication.