PHS senior has the Palouse covered
Jun. 9—Not many people get to grow up in the same area their parents were raised in, but for Meg Limburg, the opportunity meant a greater appreciation for the Palouse and its tight-knit community.
Seniors at Pullman High School will graduate this weekend, and many will walk at its ceremony at the Beasley Coliseum at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Some students may wish the moment would come sooner, and others are reluctant to leave school. Limburg, on the other hand, said graduating is bittersweet.
"I think I'm going to miss going to school with the people I've grown up with, because I've been here my whole life," Limburg said. "I'm proud because I've been able to get where I am today with the help from people around me. I'm going to miss them and the school, but at this point in my life I'm ready to move on."
Limburg is from a second-generation Palouse family. She said her mom grew up in Moscow and her dad is from Pullman.
"I personally love it, I think it's really nice because it gives me some connections in the community," Limburg said. "Growing up here, everyone knows everyone, which I think is hard to find. I just love being able to go to functions and see friends there I've known all my life."
Growing up on the Palouse, Limburg said, furthered her love for nature and the outdoors. Other than spending time with family and friends, Limburg often likes to camp and hike at local sites, and spotting the best lakes to swim in. She added she also loves volunteering her time for her church and putting on activities for its youth groups.
The activity Limburg is most passionate about, however, is sports. Limburg said she grew up involved in athletics, and has always had the urge to compete.
Through all four years of high school Limburg played varsity basketball, and since her sophomore year she played varsity soccer. She ran track her first two years, but she dropped it to focus more on academics and other sports.
Sports left an impact, Limburg said, and taught her to work well with others and build a community.
"It was nice because we were all pushing to get to one goal," Limburg said. "You learn to work together and it feels amazing to win. And while you're doing that, you also kind of build a community and make a lot of new friendships. It definitely taught me to be able to push myself to work harder, and having people around me to help me get better helped a lot."
Limburg achieved a 4.0 grade-point average, and said it was hard being involved in so many activities, but she had great motivators.
"It takes a lot of focus and persistence," Limburg said. "But the biggest motivators I had were my teachers. I had a bunch of really awesome teachers who taught me the importance of working hard and continuing to the end. And my parents too, they told me I was able to accomplish anything if I had set my mind to (it). My friends too were a big support. They helped me strive to be the best I can."
Limburg said as much as she loved playing sports in high school, she doesn't plan on playing competitively in college.
She anticipates attending Brigham Young University in the fall, to study communication in hopes of becoming a speech therapist.
"I have always had a love for helping people, and I've always known I wanted to go into some occupation that helps," Limburg said. "I love working with kids, and I think that being a speech therapist I'll work closely with them. I'll also love to learn how the brain works with language."
Limburg said she'll be sad to leave the Palouse, but is ready to try new things. She added she'll continue to push herself and is excited for her next stage in life.
Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com
