Sophomore Ellie Penich is a dancer on orchesis and a regular volunteer at Loaves and Fishes. Keep reading to learn more about her experiences at Metea.

How has Metea helped you grow as a person?

Metea has helped me broaden my horizons. It is a large school and the environment has allowed me to meet people I would not have met otherwise. Metea has also helped me become more social since the school offers many fun activities such as sports, games or clubs.

What is orchesis and how has it impacted your life?

I just ended my first year on orchesis and it was an amazing experience. Orchesis is a student-led dance team and all the choreography comes straight from the students. Dancers create choreographed pieces in which we audition before the president and officers. At the end of the year, we host a big show where we perform these pieces in front of our friends and family. Dancing has impacted my life in so many ways because it is time-consuming but it gives me something to look forward to.

What was your favorite part about orchesis?

My favorite part about orchesis is tech week. Tech week is the rehearsal week before our show and we stay after school practicing for about nine hours. It is such a fun bonding experience and we grow closer to each other. Although tech week is stressful because it is preparation for the thing we have been working all year towards, it was memorable. 

What do you plan to pursue in the future?

As of right now, I am unsure of my exact plans, but I am interested in pursuing a career in either chemistry or business. Chemistry is one of my favorite classes because I enjoy using math to solve non-numerical things such as particles. I took business orientation freshman year and I found the material to be interesting.

What have been some of your highlights this year at Metea?

Besides orchesis, I enjoyed this year’s homecoming. I attended the dance with a group of my friends and we had a great time. We had dinner beforehand and I was having so much fun.