Senior Ava Keim wants the world to know that there is much more to her than people perceive. As captain of the Southeast Shirettes dance team, sometimes negative stereotypes about her and her teammates get to her. 

“Being a part of a dance team has always been hard when you are perceived in many different ways. We are the ‘popular’ girls, we are the ‘bratty’ girls, . . [but] I don’t think that I am that stereotype at all. It’s been very hard for me to try and break through those stereotypes and show who I actually am,” said Keim.

In reality, Keim is a hardworking student who tries to be friends with all types of people and values her teammates like they’re her family. Being on the dance team, she says, “is not just dancing, but learning how to be responsible, how to be a better dancer and work with a team.” 

After high school, Keim wants to study psychology in college and find a career that she enjoys instead of just focusing on money. She is excited to have a fresh start after high school, in a different environment and atmosphere where she can learn more about herself. 

Keim also strives to prove herself to many people, whether it’s people at school assuming that she fits into certain stereotypes or her dance teacher who showed her the happiness she would like to attain when she grows into adulthood. 

“I want a family but I don’t think that I need all the money in the world to make my family a happy family,” Keim said.

She also works hard to prove herself to her parents to follow in the footsteps of her exceptionally intelligent brother.

 “I always want to show them that I can do things like that,” said Keim.