Juggling school, sports and service work

Cortney White is a model for volunteerism

Some people might wonder if Cortney White, a busy senior at Columbia Falls High School, needs a day planner book or a time machine. She seems to bend the space-time continuum.

White not only plays varsity sports all year-round, she's on the student council, sings with the Sonifers and Chorale, belongs to several community service clubs, and represents the school at Chamber of Commerce and school board meetings.

"It sounds harder than it really is," she explained. "Some of the activities balance with each other and go hand in hand."

The 17-year-old Hungry Horse native has started on the successful Wildkat soccer team for four years. This year, she played midcenter and was a team captain.

Coming up is basketball. White played point guard for the JV and varsity teams last year and is looking forward to playing under the team's new coach - Cary Finberg.

"I'm really excited about that," she said. "We'll have a faster-paced game, a faster team."

White says she likes to snowboard but can' get away enough. In spring, she runs the 400 and 800 on the girls track team and leaped five feet in the high jump during her sophomore year.

"I was injured last year and hope to do better next year," she said.

White is one of seven seniors on the student council. Typically they meet once or twice a month, she said, but with an upcoming blood drive, they've been meeting weekly. The council also raises money for school needs, such as repairing bleachers and replacing locks on doors, and for fellow students.

"We held a fundraiser for Taylor Peterson, who has cancer," she said. "The boys played each other in volleyball, and we sold chili and hot dogs."

The blood drive is a big annual event, she noted. Last year, Columbia Falls High School was recognized by the Red Cross, she said. The student council also works with the Booster Club.

As a member of the Key Club, a community service organization, White joins other students in playing bingo at the Montana Veterans Home and trick or treating to raise money for UNICEF. Club members painted the deck at the Chamber's tourist information center and will do "drive-by raking" for the elderly in upcoming weeks.

"We go to houses, rake their leaves and leave a note on their door," she said.

White also helps students through Peer Allies. In addition to freshmen orientation, Peer Allies members help new students or students identified by the principal as needing some social interaction. They're looking at starting up a tutoring program.

"We organized a Mix It Up Day, where each cafeteria table is labeled with a month, and students sit at tables with the month of their birthday," she said.

White is also in the Honor Society, for students with grade-point-averages 3.7 or higher. The members put on the annual Veterans Day Assembly and run the student store next to the cafeteria, which sells healthy snacks.

As a Chamber representative, White provides information about school activities and brings back information from local businesses. Last year's representative, Nate Thompson, talked to the Chamber about trees along Veterans Drive that had been vandalized, White said.

The student council rotates representatives to the School District 6 board of trustees meetings.

"We give them a list of songs for homecoming and activities for Spirit Days for their approval," she said. "If it's a big issue, the student council will send several representatives."

White says her strong subjects are science and writing, and she's interested in criminal psychology. She has been looking at colleges, including the University of Oregon, and she offered some upbeat opinions about volunteerism.

"In order to be successful, you have to help others succeed, too," she said. "It makes me happy to help others. Even if you don't do as many different things as I do, doing something to help out others will make you happy."