Central Kitsap High School is filled with many intelligent students who have outstanding life goals. There is one student in particular, who plays year round basketball, has maintained a 3.9 GPA or higher, participates in many AP classes, and works through the hardships of high school life, as well as home life. Amaya Saunders, who is a Sophomore at Central Kitsap, is an outstanding example of a student who is dedicated to excellence.

Not only does Saunders participate in many extra curricular activities, she also explained that she is involved in DECA, FBLA, Honors Society, and SkillsUSA. Saunders is in between being on two competitive basketball teams. The team she spends the most time with is an AAU program on a team called the “Lady Lakers”, and also participates in our schools varsity team. AAU, also known as the “Amature Athletic Union”, is a multi sport organization that deals with taking high school athletes and playing them outside of their high school seasons.

Saunders extensively explained what intentions she has after high school, “I really hope that I get lucky enough to play college basketball and go to law school. I want to go to college somewhere out of Washington, hopefully someplace like Colorado or maybe the coast.” Saunders’ inspiration to be a lawyer comes from growing up with her mother, who also practiced law. She wishes to be a public interest lawyer and work with underprivileged citizens. Saunders also adds, “I plan on being very busy, but my dad and I have always wanted to sail around the world.”

Katavena Djordjevic, also a Sophomore at CK and one of Saunders’ closest friends, illustrated, “Amaya is very quick witted and intelligent which is what makes her so funny. She can make out comparisons and point out things that literally no one else would see and be able to make me laugh about it.”

Djordjevic also explained in the interview that she’s known Saunders since 7th grade due to them being on the same basketball team. Saunders also took theater with her friend Djorojevic. The two girls spent the entire 8th grade summer together, and from what’s been said, they plan on staying very good friends for awhile. During the entire summer they had spent together, Djorojevic recounted a specific moment where they both jumped off a bridge together. The two would spend hours swimming and climbing back to the very top of the bridge just to take off again.

 Saunders’ boyfriend of three years, Jack Strickland, a Sophomore at Central Kitsap, said that he admires Saunders’ hard work. He explains that Saunders has always been very independent when it comes to staying on track in school while carrying all of her other extra activities on her shoulders. Strickland and Saunders met in 7th grade, similar around the time Djorojevic met her. When asked to describe Saunders in four words, Strickland said, “Hard working. Smart. Kind. Pretty. There’s just so much.”

Saunders’ attitude towards being successful, working diligently, and setting ambitious goals for herself is the right attitude that CK looks forward to. She strives for independence, doing so by not depending on her parents as much. Starting in middle school when her parents got a divorce. Saunders explained in great detail about her parents getting a divorce and explaining her home situations as of now, “I was always sad about how the divorce made it so I couldn’t see my parents full time, I was so used to seeing them around because both of them worked from home more or less.” She also added, “Eventually I got used to being without one or the other and learned how to cope and I’d say that’s what I’m most proud of.”

Stacey Saunders, Amaya’s mother, works as a lawyer, and Amaya’s father, Donald, works as a market researcher. Saunders spends most of her time at her mother’s house, but has a very tight bond with her father. Saunders stated that her father is her favorite person, due to their close relationship during her childhood. An example of their tight bond, as Saunders had explained, “Ever since I was little we’d get ice cream and watch soapy TV shows together like ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ and ‘Vampire Diaries’.” She included, “My dad really loves adventures and getting out and doing things just like I do. We go on lots of hikes together and sail to places like Blake Island.”

Saunders addressed her relationship with her father inspiring for her, “He pretty much had to do everything for himself.” She also added, “He joined the coast guard to pay for himself to go to college and then worked really hard to start his own business and everything”. 

Amaya Saunders has a very bright future ahead of her if she plans on maintaining her current academic prowess, major participation in extracurricular activities, and her dedication to basketball. Saunders’ dedication towards her school work considers her a great asset to the school’s academic reputation. Her continuation to keep a positive attitude could inspire students to achieve similar goals, or even greater ones.