Corey Wilson: Falcon High SchoolCorey Wilson cites math as his favorite subject. “I enjoy that it feels like you’re solving a puzzle,” he said. “It’s extremely universal, there’s a right answer and a wrong answer. It’s really, really useful in real life.”His attitude and penchant for math will be useful in college, as Wilson sets foot on the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder next fall, with a major in aerospace engineering. “My dad worked with space for many years, it’s been a big interest of mine,” he said.Besides having math skills, Wilson is also musically inclined. He plays the clarinet and tenor saxophone for the school band, and leads the marching band as well. “I’ve played the clarinet for seven years and tenor saxophone for one,” he said. “I still prefer the clarinet, but I play the sax when I’m bored.”When Wilson isn’t solving math problems or practicing his clarinet, he enjoys playing video games, spending time with friends and family and going to movies.His advice to high school students: Don’t be intimidated. “It’s really easy to be afraid of anything,” Wilson said. “Don’t let things freak you out and scare you.”Kayla Travis: Sand Creek High SchoolKayla Travis has been class president for the past three years. As a freshman, she was also involved with the student government as a representative. Travis is a member of Sand Creek’s soccer team and the National Honor Society. To top it off, her favorite subjects are calculus, biology and government – all advanced placement classes, which she began taking as a sophomore. Her personal goal is focused on achieving good grades. “Up until high school I had good grades so I decided it wouldn’t be too hard to continue,” Travis said. She said her AP classes are challenging. “It’s more work, but it wasn’t so hard because I still maintained the straight A’s,” Travis said, adding that her teachers kept it interesting by taking the material out of the text and relating it to the students.Travis has been on the soccer team since her sophomore year. She said she began playing soccer when she was just 5 years old. “I played when I was younger so I just stick with it,” Travis said.When she’s not studying or at soccer practice, Travis said she enjoys hanging out with friends and going to the movies with her friends, Becky and Ashley.Next fall, Travis will attend the University of Colorado in Boulder. She has been accepted into the engineering and applied sciences school as a biomedical engineering major; she plans to minor in another science-related field like biology.Her advice to current high school students is to start college applications early and get a feel for each campus. “Don’t decide based on the names of the colleges, it’s more than names and prestige, go with your gut,” Travis said. “Wherever you feel is home, go with that.”
