JEFF FIELDER Editor
CHADRON – Savanna Sayaloune, a senior at Chadron High School, is this week’s Nspire Today! Female Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance. She competes in cross country, basketball, and track & field. Sayaloune, a guard, helped the Chadron girls basketball team qualify for the state tournament in Lincoln this season. Other school activities she participates in are FCA, FBLA, Math Club, National Honor Society, Student Council, Health Professions, and Rotary Interact. She’s also a Class Officer, and her GPA is 3.86. Her parents are Nom and Dawn.
Q: Talk about how much fun you had this basketball season.
SAYALOUNE: “I thought we had a really good season. We had a young group, but we all came together really well. Practice was always upbeat. We always got things done. No one got really upset about anything. So, it was a great last season for me.”
Q: How thrilling was it to compete at the state tournament?
SAYALOUNE: “It was fun, getting that experience. Playing there was really cool.”
Q: Did the season go just like you thought it would, or did things go even better than you thought they would?
SAYALOUNE: “I thought it went a lot better than people expected. I knew it would be a good season, but I think we performed better than people thought we would.”
Q: Talk about the contributions you wanted to make on the team.
SAYALOUNE: “I thought I did well helping the younger girls. I tried to be a good leader and show them what to do. I thought I did well practicing hard all the time. I tried to push everyone else.”
Q: There were seven seniors on the team. How close was that group?
SAYALOUNE: “I thought we worked really well together. We’ve been together since fifth grade, doing travel ball and playing school ball. It was fun sticking with those girls.”
Q: You also competed in cross country. How did that season go for you?
SAYALOUNE: “It went really well. We also made it to state in cross country as a team. I was the only upperclassman on the varsity team.”
Q: How did it feel to be the only upperclassman on the varsity team?
SAYALOUNE: “Honestly, it was a little intimidating for me. That sounds kind of weird, but the younger girls are such good athletes. They’re going to have great upcoming years. Them pushing me was a lot different than me pushing them.”
Q: What events do you compete in during the track and field season?
SAYALOUNE: “I do the 100, 4×100 and sometimes I do the 200.”
Q: What are your goals for this track and field season?
SAYALOUNE: “I’m hoping to PR in the 100. Track is my favorite sport, so I always look forward to trying to improve my times.”
Q: What is your favorite track event?
SAYALOUNE: “Definitely the 4×100. It’s a lot of fun.”
Q: Not having school because of COVID-19, has that made it tough for you to stay in shape for the track and field season?
SAYALOUNE: “It hasn’t been too bad. Our coaches have sent us workouts, so I’ve been doing that. It’s nice that we have the track. I’ve kind of been working out on my own.”
Q: What do your workouts usually consist of?
SAYALOUNE: “I do a lot of sprints – like 200 and 50 sprints. I’ve also been working on my start. I’ll also do a distance run at least once a week.”
Q: What is your favorite non-sports activity at school?
SAYALOUNE: “I really like student council because we get to be involved in the school. Even helping with the concession stand is fun. I like to count the money back and communicate with all the different people. You get to see the little kids, and it’s fun to see them get excited to get candy. I also like FBLA – I’m on the officer team for that. It’s always fun because we get to create activities for the year, and we do a lot of volunteer work for the community. Unfortunately, state got cancelled. That was really upsetting because I was really looking forward to that. Something else I really enjoy doing is my job. I love working, so that’s what I’ve been doing while we’ve been out of school.”
Q: Where do you work?
SAYALOUNE: “I work at a nursing home [Crest View Care Center] as a CNA.”
Q: How are things going at the nursing home? Is everyone staying pretty calm?
SAYALOUNE: “No, not necessarily, just because the families aren’t able to come in and see them. So, [the residents] just have us right now. We love being around them, but it also makes me sad because they don’t get to interact with their families right now.”
Q: When did you start working as a CNA?
SAYALOUNE: “I started in July.”
Q: Why did you decide to become a CNA?
SAYALOUNE: “I took a basic nursing class in school, and after I took it I was like, ‘I’m never going to be a CNA.’ I couldn’t do it. I just thought, ‘It’s not for me.’ But I was working at the state park at the time, and I was also babysitting, and I was like, ‘I kind of want a change.’ Plus, [being a CNA] paid better, and it was less of a drive for me. So, I started working [at Crest View Care Center], and I fell in love with it. I love working with elderly people, so I ended up babysitting and also working at the nursing home.”
Q: During this tough time, how do you try to uplift the residents at the care center?
SAYALOUNE: “It’s hard on them because some of them don’t necessarily understand everything that’s going on. But we’ve come up with a lot of activities for them to brighten their mood and to keep them busy throughout the day.”
Q: How many hours do you work in a week?
SAYALOUNE: “Right now, I’m working about 30 to 40 hours, just because school has been out. Usually, I only work about 16 hours a week.”
Q: What are your thoughts on what’s going on right now with the coronavirus outbreak?
SAYALOUNE: “Honestly, I think it’s crazy because it wasn’t too long ago that everyone was just living their life like they always have – like traveling and spending time with people. It’s upsetting to me because it’s my senior year, and we don’t get to have some of those experiences that most seniors usually get.”
Q: For you, what’s the hardest part right now?
SAYALOUNE: “The hardest part for me is not being in school. I haven’t decided yet where I want to go to college, and I feel like being in school and being around your teachers and counselors and friends helps you make certain decisions. I’m kind of struggling where I want to go to college right now.”
Q: Are there other things that you’re kind of worried about or saddened about?
SAYALOUNE: “I’m a little worried about graduation because that’s super important to me. It’s a special moment that we might miss out on.”
Q: How are you and your classmates getting through this?
SAYALOUNE: “When we were in school, everyone was like, ‘Yes, we can’t wait to get out.’ But now we’re like, ‘I wish we were back in school. I wish we could be around everyone.’ Once it’s gone, you really realize what you had. I think everyone is kind of anxious to get back to school, even though that might not happen for a while. Looking back now, I feel like we didn’t take full advantage of what we had when we were in school.”
Q: Talk about how important grades are to you.
SAYALOUNE: “Getting good grades is really important to me. My parents expect a lot out of me, but they’re not like, ‘You have to get an ‘A’ in everything.’ They just want me to do my best and enjoy it while I’m doing it.”
Q: What are your plans after high school?
SAYALOUNE: “I would like to do either dental hygiene or elementary education. I know they’re completely opposite, but I’m working in the medical field now, and I like that. But I also like working with kids. That’s why I have both of those in mind.”
Q: Outside of your school activities, what do you like to do for fun?
SAYALOUNE: “I like to go hunting and fishing. Also, I take my dogs on runs all the time. We’ll go out to the state park and just enjoy nature.”
Q: What kind of dogs do you have?
SAYALOUNE: “I have three dogs. I have a lab, a Pomeranian, and a Beagle.”
Q: Wow, you must be a big dog lover.
SAYALOUNE: “Yes, I’m a big animal lover. I have all kinds of animals. I also have a turtle and a snake and some cats.”
Q: How did you become so interested in animals?
SAYALOUNE: “Ever since I was little, I wanted to be a vet. But then I realized that you have to put them down sometimes, and I was like, ‘I can’t do that. I don’t want to do that.’ But I still wanted to be around animals and help them. When I was little, I would pick up all kinds of animals, and my parents would be like, ‘Don’t do that.’ I’ve just always loved animals.”
Q: What do you think is the coolest attraction in the WyoBraska region?
SAYALOUNE: “This is probably going to sound boring, but I really like C Hill [in Chadron]. I love going up that hill. We’ll run up that hill for cross country sometimes, and it’s the worst thing in my life. But when I’m just walking, I love going up it because it’s so pretty looking over Chadron.”
Q: What do you like best about living in Chadron?
SAYALOUNE: “The best part about living in Chadron is that you can go wherever and you’ll know someone. You kind of feel like you’re never alone. Everyone is always so accepting. I think it’s awesome.”
Q: During your educational career, which teacher has made the biggest influence on you?
SAYALOUNE: “I would say Mr. [Willie] Uhing. He’s an English teacher. He’s very caring. He’s willing to do anything to help you.”
Q: Who do you think is one of the kindest students at Chadron High School?
SAYALOUNE: “I would say either Micaiah and McKinley Fuller. They’re freshmen. I spend a lot of time with them. They’re super nice.”
Q: What is your favorite TV show?
SAYALOUNE: “One Tree Hill.”
Q: What is your favorite type of music?
SAYALOUNE: “I like all kinds of music.”
Q: Do you have any siblings?
SAYALOUNE: “Yes, I have three: Nomaly, 27; Vanelay, 25; Naleka, 23.”
If you would like to nominate someone for Nspire Today!’s Athletes of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, you may do so by sending an email to jeff.fielder@nspiretoday.com or by mailing a letter to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. Nominations may also be submitted by sending a text to 308-220-8865.
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