“I try my best to help others and be light in their lives,” Maddie Andres said. Andres is a Lakeland High School sophomore and a motivated, focused student-athlete. 

Andres has always been a firm believer in the catholic faith and uses her religion as a boost to do good beyond her church. She is always willing to help someone through school work or hardships in life. Given their hard work, she values her faith and family more than anything. 

“My family has been breeding our show pigs for six years now, which is challenging but very rewarding,” Andres said. She grew up in the 4H program and has been involved in livestock showing since she was eight years old. She and her family spend their summers traveling to different livestock shows allowing her to show her lambs and pigs. “You and your animal have to be a team and work together, which is part of the reason why it takes a lot of drive and determination to be involved in livestock shows,” Andres said. 

Because she has been doing this for so long, she has grown up knowing the concept of hard work. “The experiences I have learned from showing over the years and breeding our livestock is something I will always be grateful for because it has taught me to work hard, appreciate what I have, help others, and reach my goals alongside the people who support me,” Andres said. This work ethic is something Andres has notably used throughout life and has even carried it into her part in the FFA program, Future Farmers of America, here at Lakeland. 

Andres started FFA as a freshman last year and has never looked back. Many of her family, including her dad, uncles, aunts, and cousins, have gone to FFA before, some involved as state officers in the program. It ran in her family, so it was only natural to jump at the same opportunity her family had when she found out Lakeland would be starting an FFA program. 

Andres serves as chapter secretary and gets to go to competitions as a livestock judge. Last year, our FFA program placed second in the state competition, and it was an amazing experience for everyone involved. “I really enjoy going to the state conventions and competing alongside my friends,” Andres said. Livestock showing and FFA are two essential pieces of Andre’s life, but she balances them with sports, specifically tennis. 

“I joined tennis at first because my brother played and he loved it. After my first year of playing, I learned that tennis is more than just hitting the ball over the net,” Andres said. Though some may disagree, tennis is a demanding sport to master. It requires good hand-eye coordination, precision, and power. Physical skill is just as crucial as an athlete’s mental skill mindset in a match, which determines whether they win or lose.

 “Maintaining a positive mindset is essential to the sport, even when you accidentally hit the tennis ball over the fence,” Andres said. 

Last year, Andres played on JV in the girl’s singles, placing first in the district tournament. Because practice just started this year, and teams are still being determined, she is unsure whether or not she will play at the varsity level or remain on JV. But she is excited about whatever opportunities come her way. Andres looks forward to playing with her friends and awaits the satisfaction of a well-earned win.