Class Acts: Lakes' Schmitt named to Academic All-State team
In being chosen for the IHSA's Academic All-State team, Lakes senior Olivia Schmitt showed why her track and field coach Travis Shepherd called her a "legend still walking our halls" and took what he said was the rare step of naming her captain in two sports.
She's the first student-athlete from Lakes to earn the honor.
"I'm so honored to be recognized for this team," Schmitt said. "It's just really cool that this honor brings light to people who helped me like my parents and coaches and teammates and school and area get recognition as well."
Schmitt, whose highlights in athletics started as a freshman with a sixth-place finish at the Class 3A state meet in the 800, has shined even brighter in the classroom. She carries a 4.68 weighted GPA, scoring a 34 on the ACT and 1,470 on the SAT.
Calling herself "definitely more of a Stem person," Schmitt said her favorite class is computer science and her hardest is AP English Literature.
She also has advice in juggling those AP classes with varsity sports and excelling at both.
"The biggest thing is definitely time management," Schmitt said. "I knew it was a lot to handle because there's so many things you have to stay on top of."
Taking six AP classes this year and five last, Schmitt credited her parents Chris and Ruby with instilling the importance of education.
"The biggest thing they have done for me is the support and it's not where I always see it but they are just always there for me," said Olivia, who has two older siblings, Maya and Alex. "Constantly supporting me and giving me the resources I need to get to the goals I want to reach."
Schmitt said Shepherd, cross country coach Keith West and athletic director Kurt Rowells saw the potential in her even when she didn't. They were always there to push her, knowing her limits and what she is capable of even more than she did herself.
In cross country, Schmitt helped Lakes take ninth in the state as a sophomore, finishing 58th in 18:41. This past fall as a senior, Schmitt finished 43rd in 18:21 as Lakes took second in state.
Schmitt really stood out in track in the 800, taking second at state last year to Glenbard West standout Katelyn Hart by .41 as Lakes finished seventh as a team.
"Inside and out, Olivia is an awe-inspiring student-athlete and very deserving of her All-State academic selection," Shepherd said. "It is hard to truly describe how much she has impacted the cross country and track programs. However, in a word, she has been everything for our teams. It's not a surprise that our best years and greatest successes as a team have come during her tenure. For her, the best is yet to come."
That looks like it will come next year in the Ivy League at Columbia University where Schmitt will run track and major in financial engineering.
While missing out on her senior track season is disappointing, this academic recognition has helped.
"This award has made it a little better because it is something nice to remember high school with," Schmitt said. "It has been a little hard and the most important part is just to stay positive."