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2/18/06 As a 2000 graduate of Novi High School, Varsity Swimmer Amy Hartland earned many accolades. She was the first female to be inducted into the Wall of Fame that is proudly displayed on the South Side of the Performance Gym. She held multiple State Titles in Butterfly events, and held several swimming records at Novi High School. In addition she was a National Junior Qualifier, and at one time was ranked 9th in the nation as part of an 800 Freestyle Relay Team. It was clear that her athletic endeavors would provide her with an opportunity her parents never had… The chance to go to college. But, even though she was recruited by over 100 universities nationwide, “my test scores and grades were always an issue.” Today, as a graduate student at the University of South Carolina, Amy Hartland is working harder than ever to obtain a Masters Degree in Social Work… She already graduated Cum Laude in 2005 with a B.S. in Psychology. The story is a good one and it chronicles the importance of hard work, diligence, persistence, and never giving up. Athletics teach life lessons that apply in many other areas, including academics. Her goal coming out of Novi HS was to swim for an NCAA program that was Top 25 Nationally Rated. Because the University of South Carolina competes in the Southeastern Conference, which is the toughest swimming conference in the nation, this would be a perfect fit for her. Amy fought her way in and was accepted on a contingency. The program was called ‘Transition Year’ and it was specifically designed for students whose grades and test scores didn’t meet University standards. In other words, she had one semester to make the grade! She dove in with the competitive fire that made her a championship swimmer and proceeded to not only make the grade, but her academic performance landed her on the President’s List and the Dean’s List as well. And, oh by the way, she competed on the University of South Carolina swim team for (4) years. How did she handle the challenge, and perform so well under pressure? “I learned to handle the stress of academics and athletics while a swimmer at Novi HS,” she proudly stated. She emphatically notes that she took full advantage of all support mechanisms and paid full attention to the advice she received from Coaches, counselors, and teachers. Amy’s career goal is to work with athletes that are challenged by eating disorders and body image issues. There is no doubt that Amy will have a lot of good things to pass along, especially since she’s learned so much the past (8) years while competing in the pool as well as the classroom. Through sports, Amy learned to be a great student, and even better person… (c) 2006 Novi
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