Rachel Smelser -The Senior Collection-

Big things come in small packages. Mother Teresa, Ghandi, Danny Devito, all below the 5 foot mark. Okay, maybe the latter is slightly out of place, though if anyone saw him in Matilda, he probably holds a spot in your heart somewhere, as he does in mine. Smaller frames aren't incapable of powerful abilities. Rachel is an example of that. Rachel and soccer have a secret handshake. They've been besties since she gave up play-doh and superficial mattel dolls. They are inseparable. Their bond has been her most consistent source of joy throughout her youth with the only exceptions being her family and her faith. This friendship continues even today, as she nailed down a scholarship, now playing for the third ranked junior college in the nation at Paradise Valley.

She seems constructed for the soccer field. A fusion of raw energy and pure spunk, she doesn't run, she bounces. She uses her non-threatening build to surprise and shock her opponents, relishing in the napping of her enemies. Of course a girl with this much energy isn't a one hit wonder. Four year marching and jazz band veteran, avid wake boarder, ex-skateboarder, her 'fun resume' is listless. But when 80% of her shoot includes her completely engaged in a world that includes just her and B&W ball, it's kind of beautiful, and fun to watch. This is Rachel.

Kami Shabaz -The Senior Collection-

Upon meeting Kami, she proceeded to lock herself out of her car. A shining moment for anyone. After calls to both parents for aid in this mini fiasco, the reality set in, there'd be no parental rescue.

See this would be the significant second in which I myself would have hit the panic button. But being trapped and powerless didn't rattle Kami. Several apologies later, and after happenstance struck, a

garage truck of a man walked toward us. He was a handyman. And he was going to help us. Twenty minutes later we were headed to our first location. Kami's calm resolve kept me relaxed and cured my

anxiety for a period of time. I'm certain as a self-proclaimed "hippie without dreads", her inner peace certainly rubbed off on me. It was groovy.

I remain flabbergasted at her extensive list of clubs and activities she's a part of. Ok deep breath... here we go... She's been on varsity soccer all 4 years, she's in 7 clubs including National Honor Society,

Sports Medicine Rehabilitation, Interact, Health Occupations Students of America, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Society of Female Scholars, and my favorite... the ping pong club. She's also president

of two of the seven clubs that she belongs to. Coming home from school to play Halo everyday now seems rather paltry in comparison. Thanks Kami. Okay so she lives a super hectic life. So what.

Well, what stupefies me is how she's able to juggle all these acts, and never hit bottom, or seem the least bit frazzled. Usually a person that undergoes a similar onslaught of busyness, usually ends in

meltdown, or at least they have a propensity to be tired all the time. Take a look at the images below. She ain't tired. So here's to unrelenting future hippie surgeons. This is Kami Shabaz.