By By KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER
Lifestyles & Features Edit
PINETOWN — Northside High School senior Katie Bowen is one young woman who doesn’t like to have a lot of free time on her hands.
Her busy school schedule proves that.
She’s a member of the track and cross-country teams, class secretary, Key Club treasurer and recipient of several awards. And that’s just scratching the surface.
The 17-year-old daughter of G.B. and Linda Bowen of Belhaven enjoys being busy.
“I wanted to make the most of high school by getting involved, and it looks good to colleges so that’s important,” Bowen said. “I’d rather be doing something than going home and sitting on the couch.”
She first became interested in track as a freshman at Northside.
“I really didn’t think I was going to be very good at it,” she said. “But I started getting a lot better. The reason I joined was just the people in it, and Sgt. Woolard is really fun to be around. It’s a good program to be involved in.”
Charlie Woolard, Bowen’s coach, sang her praises, as well.
“Having the opportunity to teach, coach and attend summer camp with Katie has provided me adequate time to observe her in numerous situations,” he said. “She has never been disrespectful to any adult or me during these programs. I have often received positive comments from my peers for her respect for authority and for others. She has my total trust, knowing that she will always represent our school and community with pride.”
Bowen has been active with Northside’s ROTC program for four years, serving as squadron commander and drill-team commander. She participated in the Battle for the Arts competition and was part of the cast of the musical “Annie” last year. She’s been named to the honor roll, serves as vice president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is a member of the Student Government Association, Beta Club and Science Club.
Bowen’s other activities include the Adopt-A-Highway program, Habitat for Humanity, Legislature’s School for Youth Leadership and Development and serving as marshal at graduation exercises last year. Her awards and achievements include the Woodmen of the World award for American history, Air Force Association Award, American Veterans Award and maintaining the highest average in Spanish and AP U.S. history/world history.
Bowen has applied to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and East Carolina University; she plans to become a nurse in labor/delivery or work with premature babies.
“It’s just one of those things I think would be cool to do,” Bowen said of her desire to become a nurse. “And with this economy you need a stable job, and everybody always needs more nurses.”
Outside of school, Bowen attends First Christian Church in Belhaven, where she has helped with fundraising events in the community. She is active with the youth group at Belhaven Missionary Baptist Church. For the past two summers, she has been employed by the Town of Belhaven’s recreation department as a lifeguard at the community beach. She also likes spending time with her younger sister, Cameron, a freshman at Northside, and her cat, Oreo.
Bowen offered a bit of advice to other Northside High School students.
“Get involved in whatever you’re interested in. If you like what the group is doing, you’ll have fun,” she said. “It gives you something to do, and that is a lot better than sitting around doing nothing.”
::SIDEBAR (this gets headshot with it)::
All about Katie Bowen …
Grade and school: senior, Northside High School.
Birthday: April 10.
Favorite subject: “History, I’ve always liked it. That was my dad’s favorite subject in school so I guess I get that from him.”
Favorite book: “Harry Potter.”
Favorite movie: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
Favorite TV show: “Gray’s Anatomy” and “24.”
If she could spend one day with anyone in history, it would be: “One of the founding fathers, just because I’d like to know what they were thinking when they sat down to make up, basically, what our country is.”
Favorite food: “I just like so many I couldn’t pick one. It depends on what type of mood I’m in.”
Dream vacation: “Either Europe or the Caribbean.”
Secret wish: “I would like to help a lot of people that needed it in any way I could.”