Like countless other high school seniors, Iola High’s Taylor Heslop has big dreams for college.
Unlike most of her contemporaries, Heslop already has one potential obstacle — paying for college — cleared.
Among her bevy of scholarship awards is the Hagan Scholarship, an award designed so that worthy students can attend college without accruing student debt. If she meets all of the benchmarks stipulated by the scholarship, Heslop will have reaped $40,000 alone from the Hagan Foundation.
Heslop, who will join the rest of Iola High School’s Class of 2016 for senior commencement ceremonies Sunday, is one of eight IHS students to graduate with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
“I thought (the Hagan scholarship) would be a good fit for me, because of the work and GPA requirement, and because it’s designed for rural kids.”
HESLOP, daughter of Troy and Adisa Heslop, has had an ambitious academic schedule for more than a decade.
As a second-grader Heslop was enrolled in her first class for gifted students under the direction of Jean Johns.
“She’s helped me with scholarships, my college plan,” Heslop said. “She was the one who suggested my course of study. Sometimes, I think she knows me better than I know myself.”
Heslop’s plan is to attend the University of Kansas, to study to become a nurse anesthetist, with a minor in chemistry.
“I talked to Mrs. Johns, and told her I wanted to become a nurse practitioner,” Heslop recalled.
Johns responded with the suggestion to become more specific.
An anesthetist does more than administer painkillers, Heslop noted.
“There are several different fields, from working in surgery, to helping those with chronic pain. There’s also pre- and post-op anesthetist, those who work with airway management.”
Heslop’s goal, by the time her schooling is complete, is to have tried them all.
