Jada Zahn: “Ambitious, smart, driven and success oriented!”
In this week’s From Then… To Now, we spotlight Jada Zahn.
Jada is just like the other students in this series. Dabbled in athletics as a kid, then made a decision on what she wanted to do once she got to high school, and has her sites set on a great career once she finishes schooling. But what is a bit different is she did not do basketball, track, softball. etc. She, when she was younger, focused on activities that required grace, balance, dedication, and a tremendous amount of athleticism. “I was a gymnast and a dancer in elementary school and I danced for the high school dance team from 7th grade to sophomore year,” Zahn remembers.
She left the competing side of athletics and went the route of assisting and helping out, becoming a student manager. And in this reporter’s opinion the student manager is vital in the smooth operation of a high school sports team. (Side note, this reporter was a student manager and statistician for wrestling, football and basketball in high school).
Friends are very important to Zahn. She explains that it was because of friends she decided to become a manager in football and for this year girls basketball. “I decided to be a football manager freshman year because a lot of the dance girls did it, so we all did it together, then I just stuck with it all through high school. I decided to be a basketball manager this year because some of my friends who play basketball convinced me to manage.” Helping and assisting will be a big part of what she wants to do after high school, but more on that later. She also helps out the wrestling team, in her spare time.
Zahn is an ‘A’ honor roll student and stays busy outside of being a manager and helping three teams at VCHS. “I’m involved in Student Council, SkillsUSA,
and I also do some managing things for the wrestling team.” With SkillsUSA, Zahn is in the Health Science with Megan Grafing up at the Sheyenne Valley Area Career and Technology Center. She is also the local chapter secretary.
As a honor roll student, Zahn is a member of, like many students that have been featured in this series, one of the oldest and one of the largest organiza- tions that is the most recognized co-curricular student organization in high schools in this country. And as a member, community service is a small part of it. That is her wheel house. “I am a member of National Honor Society. I help out at local benefits for people with cancer, I help the wrestling team with things they need, and last year I helped at graduation.”
As you may have noticed, Zahn is a young lady that knows what she wants out of life and how to obtain that. Determination and drive are two words this reporter would use to describe her.
The question was put to Dr. Cindy Zahn, Jada’s mom, where does she get this from? Dr. Zahn replied, “Definitely a trait from her mom. Jada watched her mom go through all the hard work completing a Ph.D. until she was 4 years old. Jada was the only 2-year-old that we knew of that could pronounce the word dissertation and actually knew what it was.”
Zahn has already started her path towards what she wants to do in life with her current job. “I am a CNA at The Legacy Place,” Zahn shares.
Helping people and assisting people is in her DNA and her post high school and career goals have her heading in that direction. “I plan on going to college at either the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities or Montana State University-Bozeman for Biomedical Engineering.” Like some of you, I had no idea what Biomedical Engineering is, so I had to ask. “Biomedical engineering is an engineer who makes artificial organs, chemotherapy treatments, prosthetic, etc… I plan on focusing on the chemotherapy side of it.” Zahn shared.
Zahn’s career choice has a very personal reason behind it. Cindy explains, “Her grandmother has had cancer in the past so that is part of it. However, one of the main reasons Jada’s career path has gone in the direction it has, stems from an unexpected hospital stay for her. Jada was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis her sophomore year in high school (this was also the reason she had to stop dancing). She spent 15 days in the U of M Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis Minnesota. She almost had her colon removed but was able to leave with it. While she was there, she was able to visit with many doctors and nurses and became more and more intrigued with the medical profession. Also, while she was there, she learned that many, many children there had cancer. So, all though she was elated that 15 days later she was able to go home, she knew there were many kids at that hospital that were not going to make it home nor ever leave the hospital. So, if there is a way that she could help someone walk out of the hospital like she did…that’s what she wants to do.”
When Cindy was asked to put her finger on one accomplishment that Jada has achieved, she replied, “There are many, but if I would have to focus on one, having 4.0 GPA her high school years while she was on the dance team for two of those years and the other two years, she held a part-time job. These courses included dualcredit college courses as well.”
Both mother and daughter were asked, if someone, who did not know who you are, asked you to describe Jada Zahn how would you do that? Cindy answered, “If you don’t know Jada Zahn, she may not come up to you and just start talking to you, she comes off as shy if she doesn’t know you. However, once you get to know her you will soon find out that she is caring, and she would do anything for anyone. Beyond being aesthetically beautiful on the outside with a heart of gold on the inside, Jada is very ambitious, smart, driven and success oriented. She is VERY strong willed and has perseverance like no other! If you need a ride home, a listening ear, a laugh, or a hug…she’ll be there for you. AND I cannot forget…she will stop in her tracks (any place, any time) just to ‘bust a move’ for you because dancing has always been in her blood!!”
For Jada, describing herself, in my opinion, is spot on. “I would describe myself as motivated, strong willed, energetic, and responsible.”
As readers of these features know, from time to time I put statistics in the story to illustrate the talent level of a certain athlete and how vital they are to their respective team. But for Zahn, in my opinion, the statistic that will illustrate how talented she is and how vital she will be to others, will be the number of people she will help and assist while being a Biomedical Engineer.