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Don't let Rory Neary's stature fool you. The bashful, well-mannered senior is a giant both on campus and in the Michigan City community.
To no one's surprise, Neary was celebrated as the Exchange Club's Youth of the Year this past week at a ceremony in town. Her list of accolades and distinctions run longer than US 421.
Some of the more impressive kudos include a recipient of the Ed Payne Scholastic Award and Marquette's Girls State Delegate and Outstanding Official representative. Oh yeah, she also carries a 4.5 cumulative grade-point average.
The Queen of All Saints product has participated in countless volunteer endeavors while at Marquette. Additionally, Neary was a four-time letterwinner on the cross country team and earned the rare distinction of being named Blazer Award winner three times. Her influence has been bestowed upon the Academic Spell Bowl, Quiz Bowl, and as an altar server at Mass.
She reflected upon her career at Marquette and looked ahead to the future in the following Q&A.
Q:
Why is community service so important to you?
Neary:
Community service is so important to me because I have been raised and taught that it is our responsibility to help others whenever we can. I firmly believe that every single person should take part in community service as much as they can. A quote I live by is from Mother Teresa, "We can do no great things, only small things with great love." I love helping others. It makes me incredibly happy, as well as the people I am serving. I get so much out of it that it motivates me to serve and volunteer even more. Service also brings me closer to Jesus. Jesus told us that if we wanted to join Him in Heaven, we needed to follow His example of serving the least among us. I desire to follow Jesus's example, so that too is motivation to volunteer.
Q:
Where were you and what was the first thing you thought when you heard you were going to be honored as Exchange Club Youth of the Year?
Neary:
When Mrs. Mark sent me the email at school, I was first really surprised, but also extremely happy. I did not expect that I would be the Youth of the Year. I am extremely grateful to the Exchange Club for this amazing opportunity and for sponsoring me last summer to attend Hoosier Girls State.
Q:
What are your future plans (college, career-wise)?
Neary:
I will be attending the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C to major in nursing and minor in Spanish. I will also be running cross country and track and field for them. Needless to say, I cannot wait to start a new chapter of my life in our nation's capital. Career-wise, I want to become a pediatric nurse and work in Central and South America. I want to make an impact on kids' lives and help them get well.
Q:
Is there one teacher in particular that has played an over-the-top role in your growth here?
Neary:
I would definitely say that all of my teachers have helped me along the way here at MQTT; I have been supported by every single one. Mrs. Remijas has really had a big impact on my experience. Even though it is a lot of hard work each day, I have benefitted from her Spanish instruction. After graduating from college, my goal is to be fluent in Spanish and able to travel to Central and South America to minister to the less fortunate. I would not have this dream without Mrs. Remijas. Thanks to Mrs. Remijas, I love the Spanish language. She has made the language come alive. To her, it is not just words forming sentences, but also an entire extraordinary culture full of life. Mrs. Remijas also cares about each and every one of her students that pass through her classroom.
Q:
You've accomplished so much at Marquette, not only in the classroom but in all the extracurricular activities in which you've participated. What do you hope your legacy is here and what advice would you give to incoming freshmen?
Neary:
Hard question! My advice to incoming freshman is twofold. First of all, stay focused. I set high expectations for myself coming into high school, and because of that, I have worked hard to make sure I accomplish my goals. Endurance is key; giving up is not an option for me. My second piece of advice would be to be positive. At first, high school might be hard or rough, but if you keep a smile on your face, it will be much easier. I want my legacy at MQTT to be that of serving others. Through my high school years, I have participated in several service opportunities. When we serve others, it not only helps others but makes us better people.
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