6:30 a.m. she’s out the door and won’t be back until 9:30 that night. Sophomore Stephanie Monson leaves for her busy day of school and skate. However her school day is nowhere near the norm for a 15-year-old. Stephanie is currently taking core classes above her grade level, as well as calculus 3 at Lindenwood University. She works to find the balance between her schoolwork and skating on a nationally ranked team.

Stephanie first started skating when she was 4-years-old, but began competitively skating in sixth grade. She currently skates for Syncro St. Louis on The Diamond Edges and practices anywhere from four to five days a week, with a total of 10 hours of practice each week. When competition season starts Stephanie travels to various competitions across The United States such as Wisconsin and Minnesota, spending up to 20 hours just on a bus each weekend.

“When I was younger I tried many other sports,” Stephanie said. “But once I started skating I knew the ice rink was the place for me.” “There’s nothing quite like skating,” Stephanie said. “It’s relaxing to glide across the ice.”

She excels in more than just skating, though. While in middle school, Stephanie was offered the opportunity to join the SEGA program, a gifted program that allows students to move through school at their own pace. This program has allowed her to get ahead in school and take more challenging classes than the average sophomore. She currently ends her school day at Lindenwood University taking Calculus 3, which is the equivalent of two high school classes.

“I thrive on challenges and this was definitely a challenge for me,” Stephanie said.

Her parents also see the program as something that really benefited her and gives her the opportunity to learn at the pace she desires.

“It’s a great opportunity for students with different needs, for Stephanie the program was exactly the right choice for her,” Stephanie’s dad Steve Monson said.

On top of both of those undertakings, Stephanie also has to balance her time with band competitions. After coming home late on a Sunday or 9:30 at night on a weekday, she always finds a way to get things done. Stephanie finds herself having to plan ahead on how she’ll get things done, even if that means finishing one last problem before stepping on the ice.

“I admire how much she does and how well she does it,” friend Elise Gordon said.

What’s most difficult for Stephanie is being able to balance a rigorous course load with all of her extracurricular activities.

“Much of her after school time is already committed, she leaves before seven in the morning, and on days she has skate, doesn’t get home until 9:30 p.m.” Steve said. “I think balancing between school and other activities and making that balance between them equal is most difficult for her,” Gordon said.

Stephanie has the opportunity to graduate with the current junior class, but is unsure of what she will do. She plans to keep skating after high-school, and while attending college. As of right now Stephanie hopes to attend college and pursue a career in chemical engineering.

“[Going forward] I’m most nervous about continuing to be able to maintain the balance,” Stephanie said. “In the future,” Steve said. “I see Stephanie just as successful in her chosen job as she has been in school with a continued balance of activities, friends, and family.”

“In the future,” Steve said. “I see Stephanie just as successful in her chosen job as she has been in school with a continued balance of activities, friends, and family.”