With a powerful state of mind, success is not too far out of reach. Caitlin Nozka, who has earned the prestigious title of November Student of the Month, exemplifies the importance of maintaining excellence throughout all aspects of one’s high school career. Nozka’s powerful mindset has driven her to be a considerable student-athlete, who plays both Varsity Soccer and Softball at Becton. She is not only devoted to her studies as well, but her community-commitment radiates as she takes part in various clubs at BHS. Nozka recognizes, “I am extremely active in the school community whether it be participating in multiple clubs or simply cheering on my peers at their latest sports event. In order to keep myself motivated, I make time for both school and friends. By giving myself that time to socialize with friends, I motivate myself to complete my work on time and to the best of my ability. When it comes to my work, I am a perfectionist, so making sure that my work presents this feature is a responsibility I take on without question.” 

Most importantly, soccer plays a tremendous factor in Nozka’s life. Her confidence gradually grew over time as she fully committed herself to the sport, “Coming into high school, I was unsure if I had wanted to play soccer or not. I had never been extremely good at the sport and thought that I would be better off trying a new sport. However, when my freshman year started, I found myself putting on my soccer cleats again and again, no matter what. By the end of the season I had received my Varsity letter, but did not have as much playing time as my older sister or friends. The next year I grew a stronger dedication to the sport and decided to work harder in order to play those extra minutes. Years passed and I improved with the years, but never received the recognition I knew I could obtain. This only pushed me to work harder. At last, during my senior year I was awarded First-Team Defender in my division. ” Nozka has proven that one may not always be instantly recognized for one’s hard work, but there is a day when one will come to reap the reward– a reward even sweeter. As the years grew longer and seemingly repetitive for Nozka, like a true leader, her determination grew. Nozka expresses that putting in the diligent effort in the moment will only benefit you in the long run– no pun intended. 

Nozka’s biggest inspiration is her grandmother, who immigrated to this country from Poland and proceeded to care for seven of her own! The language barrier was nothing but a small obstacle as Nozka expresses, “My grandma continues to show me what a hardworking person truly looks like. I never see her sitting down and relaxing, she is always up and doing something, no matter how minor the task is,” she says proudly. Truly inspiring! Based on this inspiration, this student-athlete learned that organizing schedules can be extremely beneficial. As a high school student, making sure your priorities are straight is key! Nozka shares some feedback on what it means to push to prevail, “There are some days where you have to stay up those extra hours in order to finish an assignment, but have to remember that the end goal is well worth it. The first thing I recommend is making and organizing a schedule so that you stay on top of all your tasks. Whether it be homework, a quiz you have to study for, a meeting, a practice, etc., it is important to write it down so nothing gets missed or over-looked. In addition to this, you must be dedicated and devoted to your work and extracurriculars. Without this driven mentality, you will find yourself quickly overwhelmed and falling behind.” 

Her ambition does not end there. Alongside many other goals, Caitlin’s ultimate goal is to graduate college with a Masters in Accounting and work for the FBI. Nozka excitedly expresses, “I love taking risks and experiencing once-in-a-lifetime opportunities,” she says. Her never-ending list of adventures, including skydiving and walking the edge of the CN Tower, will only expand as she marks her bucket list. As she moves forward, Nozka shares a few last words of advice as to how she achieved student of the month: “The simple answer that everyone would provide is to stay on top of your grades and make sure to manage your time wisely. However, I think it goes further than that. Grades are extremely important and I believe that you should try your best in order to complete your courses to the best of your ability, but grades should not be the only thing you focus on. Being active in your school community and clubs are also ways to give back.” As she continues to thrive, we congratulate Caitlin Nozka on this tremendous accomplishment and wish her nothing but success and fulfillment in her future.