One of the top notch students, sophomore, Ana Maria Ionescu involves herself in cross country, flag football, swim team, the environmental club, dance, photography, and crossfit. She feels that joining herself in sports and clubs allows herself to feel productive. Ionescu  participates in multifarious activities because she feels more accomplished as it also motivates her to get her school work done.

“The moment I get home after practice, I do a little of my homework, so I don’t have to worry so much right before I go to bed,” Ionescu said. “ I believe being involved in school releases all the stress and anxiety from school and grades.” 

Venturing yourself in places you enjoy being in will automatically draw you to have a happier mindset Ionescu explains.

“What I value the most is the sportsmanship. The environment on my team is very supportive. We’re always there for each other,” Ionescu said. Even when we make a mistake, we look back on it and see how we improve, but then we keep going. We don’t dwell on the past.”

She first got into sports when she was younger. By the time she was 9 months old, she was already running around. Maria first started sports in kindergarten where she found her compassion for the speed, endurance and the competition.       

“I feel a sense of unity and family whenever I’m with my team. I always feel comfortable around them and seeing them brightens my day,” Ionescu said. “They’ve helped me believe in myself more and becoming more open towards others.”

Even though she is in the IB program and joins numerous sports, prioritizes and accomplished her goals feeling more envious the next day.

“When school started, some people would tell me to stop doing sports just because I’m a girl although I’ve learned over the years to not give up easily, continue my love for sports and being part of a sports team,” Ionescu said.

`From her own experience, joining extracurricular activities helps with self confidence, productivity, and mental awareness in the most optimistic ways.