Alahna Davis recently committed to Western Illinois University on a Track and Field scholarship. She has been running track since the age of ten and competes in the 100m dash, 200m dash, 4×1 sprint relay and long jump. Alahna also played basketball for Central and has proven to be a hard-working student.

Q: What made you decide that Western Illinois University was the college that was right for you?

A: “When I visited it, I loved it, especially the atmosphere and the track team. It was a diverse track team, and everybody had the same goal. They wanted to major in pre-med or nursing and that’s exactly what I want to do. I felt like everybody had the same type of goals and ambitions, I was like, dang, I need to be here.”

Q: How do you feel about the culture here at Central?

A: “I think the school is very diverse. The diversity and being able to meet different people from different places around the world is something I really love about Central.”

Q: What do you think you are going to miss most about Central or high school in general?

A: “It’s hard to put everything at once but I’m going to miss the atmosphere. The love and support is here and everybody wants everybody to win. It’s a great support system.”

Q: What are you most excited about for college?

A: “Being on my own schedule I guess, I’m tired of waking up at 6’ o clock for school. And the training, I’m ready to you know like compete at the next level. I’m also ready to go into the field of nursing, which I can’t wait to do. I love helping people.”

Q: Who or what motivates you to do your best every single day?

A: “All of the teachers I’ve had throughout my four years of being here have always given me encouraging words. Also my family, family has always been at the forefront in my life and without them I don’t know where I’d honestly be right now. The people around me have always encouraged me, motivated me, and pushed me harder even when I didn’t feel like getting up this day or that day. I have always been pushed by everybody around me in my life.”

Q: What short term goals do you have in the next two or three years?

A: “I plan on doing summer school classes to try and get ahead of the game a little bit. I plan on getting my dream car soon and earning a little bit more extra money.”

Q: What long term goals do you have? Where might you see yourself in the next ten years?

A: “I want to build a house, not by myself of course. But I want to lay out a platform, find somewhere, and build up my house. I plan on being a nurse anesthetist which is like an anesthesiologist, but I get to shorten the schooling down and then do something I love to do. And go to medical school of course because you have to go to medical school to go into the field I want to go into. I just got this big picture I’m still trying to paint out in my head and lay out the different pathways.”

Q: Do you think that Central has prepared you academically for college?

A: “Oh definitely. Especially with the English themes we do and the papers they make us write. I feel like when I get to college it’s going to be nothing I haven’t done before.”

Q: As a senior, what do you know now that you wish you knew when you were a freshman?

A: “Don’t take everything for granted. Enjoy every opportunity or moment you have while being in high school. Time goes by fast, and especially with Covid. I missed nearly a year and a half of my high school experience. You have to take every opportunity you have, regardless of if you don’t feel like doing it, just take it because it’s going to be worth it at the end.”