Star Student Skylar Blumenauer graduates a year early from Fairless at top of her class

Hardworking, passionate and driven are just some of the words that can be used to describe Fairless High School senior Skylar Blumenauer.

After all, she finished high school a year early with 12 college credits under her belt and at the top of her class.

Her motivation to succeed has taken from the halls of Fairless High School to Disney World. This fall, she will head to Washington, D.C., to study political science at George Washington University, where she earned a $15,000 renewable scholarship.

"She's so involved. From National Honor Society and Student Council to the newspaper and yearbook, she literally does it all and does it well," Fairless school counselor Aairka Vasiliades said. "She is so well-liked by her teachers and peers."

Vasiliades nominated Blumenauer for the annual Star Student recognition. The 17-year-old was one of five students selected as the top Star Students from more than a hundred nominations.

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Fairless grad soars to excellence

Blumenauer, of Massillon, takes the accolades in stride.

No matter what she is doing, from working in her step-dad's insurance office to writing an article for the school newspaper or studying for a test, she strives to do her best.

"Since I was young, my parents raised me to be a strong person and they have shown me that," Blumenauer said. "(They) pushed me to go above and beyond and that has stuck with me"

In her 25-year career in education, Fairless teacher Janice Messenheimer-Courtney said Blumenauer is one of the best students she has seen and certainly meets Fairless' motto to "soar to excellence."

"She is one of the best students to grace the hallways where she always portrays an aura of excellence and is a subtle influence to her classmates," Messenhimer-Courtney wrote in a recommendation letter for the award. "She will leave a mark for others to be reminded that hard work and dedication achieve results."

Earlier this year, she was one of 100 students selected from thousands of applications from across the United States to participate in the 15th Disney Dreamers Academy, a mentoring and leadership program that aims to help attendees make their aspirations a reality.

"It was one of the best experiences I ever had," she said. "The people there were all like-minded. We are all super ambitious. We shared our achievements. It was a great community. I wasn't expecting to find that there."

She continues to stay in touch with the friends she made at the academy.

Since leaving the academy, Blumenauer has been working on enrichment lessons offered by the academy. As a Disney Dreamer alumni, she is waiting to hear about an externship.

This summer, she also will spend three weeks volunteering to lead a group of younger Fairless students during summer school and finish up her one-year term on the Ohio Attorney General's Teen Ambassador Board, where she shared with officials her opinion on a variety of issues, including erasing college debt and the death penalty.

Her passion is what makes her a future leader, Fairless teacher Andrew Bruno said.

"Skylar is probably one of the hardest-working students I have ever had in my college classes," he said.

While she had great success while at Fairless, Bruno believes Blumeauer will bloom in college, where she will learn how to put her passions into practice.

"She will make an excellent leader in this country," he said.

Blumenauer hasn't decided what path she will take after she completes her bachelor's degree but knows it will involve helping the underprivileged.

"I might find a government job or go to law school," she said. "I want to give back and give back on a larger scale."

Looking back on her high school career, she wants the Falcons that come behind her not to give up.

"There are times when it seems like things are against you and the last thing you want to do is your homework, but take five minutes and do that homework," Blumenauer said. "Something could come out of that five minutes. Trying your hardest in everything you do will pay off in the long run."

Reach Amy at 330-775-1135 or amy.knapp@indeonline.com or on Twitter: @aknappINDE

Meet Star Student Skyler Blumenauer

High school: Fairless High School

College/post-high school choice: George Washington University

Intended major(s): Political science

Social media sites you use the most: I use Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok social media sites the most. However, I rarely post on any.

TV shows you binge watch (or plan to binge watch): Recently, my favorite TV shows that I have binge watched recently were Bridgerton, Grey's Anatomy, Station 19, and all of the new Marvel shows. I am excited to watch the new season of Stranger Things next month.

Favorite subject in school: English

Person (other than a parent) who has been the biggest influence on you and why: The person who has been the biggest influence on me comes in the form of the Ohio Attorney General’s Teen Ambassador Board team. It is not one single person but rather a group of people who have heavily influenced my life over the past year. Garrett and Tammy, our coordinators, have done an amazing job shaping me into a person who is prepared and excited for her future. Even General Yost himself serves as a role model; his kindness and fairness are something I hope to embody in everything I do.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Ten years from now, I will have not only earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, but I will also have completed graduate school in an area concerning either law, activism, or a mix of both. While I am not sure where my degrees will lead me career-wise, I know that I will find myself within the field of government and politics. Washington DC will be the city I call home as I work closely with our nation’s leaders to impact policymaking in areas ranging from poverty to education to climate change. I am so excited to spend the next ten years and more doing what I love - helping others.

Briefly describe your favorite high school memory: This past spring, I got the opportunity to fly down to Walt Disney World for the Disney Dreamers Academy. The once-in-a-lifetime educational and mentoring program only selected 100 students from across the country and is easily my favorite high school experience. Getting to interact with 99 other inspiring students and dozens of incredible mentors and celebrities from top businesses was an experience unlike any other. The relationships, friendships, and memories I made will be something I carry with me forever.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Fairless grad Skylar Blumenauer's drive, passion makes her Star Student