Roaming the hallways in Lakeland High and flying in the skies above Northern Idaho, is an ambitious freshman named Zoey Gregg.
She went to stem charter academy before joining Lakeland Middle school in 8th grade. She is a devout christian who plans to be heavily involved in the military.
Gregg currently attends two extracurriculars outside of school, Mixed Martial arts and Civil Air Patrol. She is recognized by her ambitious nature by both her friends and family.
“She never says anything about giving up and her goals have been set and unchanging ever since I’ve known her,” Natalie Nelson said.
She attends mixed martial arts (MMA) at Hand on Hand Combat in Hayden, Idaho two days a week. There she learns Koden Kan Combined Martial Arts, which is a mix of traditional Asian martial arts and American hand to hand combat.
She enjoys teaching lower level students some of the skills she has acquired. Though she says it’s hard since they don’t say anything back that is constructive or helpful.
She loves the discipline involved with martial arts and how it teaches responsibility. She also enjoys the community there and the friends she has made.
Gregg also goes to Civil Air Patrol (CAP) which she attends one day a week unless there are orientation flights. She is ranked as a Technical Sargent and gets to ride in airplanes and fly them as well.
She learns aerospace and how to do emergency services and search and rescue.
She also can get her pilot’s licence for free if she continues to attend the Air Patrol.
She has different uniforms for each extracurricular. For CAP, a fancy blue uniform and a more simple blue uniform for different occasions like flight orientations, and at MMA she has to wear a camouflage uniform similar to an army uniform, that brings a sense of unity inside of the community. These uniforms make her feel more serious and give her a taste of what it will be like to be in the United States Armed Forces, which is her end goal.
After high school she plans to go to West Point, an airforce academy, or a Naval academy. Then she plans to go to Pittsburgh University for medical studies.
She was inspired by Colonel John Ripley, Captain Maria Marabello, and her dad who was enlisted for four years and is now an aircraft mechanic along with her mother.
“I was inspired by Maria’s no quit attitude,” Gregg said. “And the Colonel’s determination towards Catholicism.”
She wants people to know she is a devout christian that tries to spread the gospel wherever she goes, and it inspires her to keep going. Gregg wants to be recognized by her determination and faith.
“I want to have a squadron that salutes me for the person I am and not my rank,” said Gregg.