MORRISDALE – When someone does something 2,340 times, one can imagine that only good things and consistent behavior will follow.
For West Branch graduate Taylor Myers, the thing she has done 2,340 times in her life is show up for school.
While some may wonder why this number is so significant, some simple math of 180 days multiplied by 13 years gives the product of 2,340.
This is the exact number of days she went to school in the West Branch Area School District. While there are few things truly perfect in life, her attendance from kindergarten through grade 12 was one.
“I kind of realized this was a big deal in my freshman year of high school,” said the 2021 West Branch High salutatorian.
“I did not make any big deal about it until I started high school, and at that point, I told myself only four more years to go so I might as well go for it.”
Six years ago, GANT News also acknowledged her perfect school attendance following her sixth-grade graduation.
Though she had some close calls along the way including in seventh grade, here we are six years later celebrating an unblemished attendance mark in her time at West Branch.
While showing up is the minimum requirement for a student, Myers always came to school with a good attitude, which has allowed her to excel and graduate second in her class.
“Being there allowed me to have the confidence in my school work and form some great friendships and bonds with my teachers,” she shared.
The senior class planned a skip day just a few weeks ago and Myers was enticed to possibly end the streak. However, she instead decided to attend virtually and spend time talking with her teachers.
“My teachers were so encouraging of me to be at school every day. They were always there to make sure my grades were strong and I cannot thank them enough.”
The Morrisdale native is a great student, and is the true definition of a student-athlete. She will also be continuing her volleyball career at Penn State Altoona this fall as a member of the Lady Lions program.
The middle-hitter recently signed her commitment papers to join the Altoona Lions program. She racked up 946 kills in her four years of high school, and was on pace to become the all-time leader in kills in program history.
However, COVID-19 forced all tournaments that were planned to be cancelled, and that in turn would have given her the extra games she needed to achieve the milestone.
In her senior year alone, she was able to rack up 295 kills in a shortened season. She also was named to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association All-Star team, was a District 6 First-Team All-Star three times and an Inter-County Conference (ICC) All-Star four times during her West Branch sports career.
As she prepares for her collegiate career, she played with the travel club, Happy Volley, out of State College this spring, and will be playing with her high school coaches’ tournament team to help stay conditioned for her first college season this fall.
Myers will continue her employment at Weis Market this summer, where she’s worked for more than two years. During the pandemic, she picked up extra shifts and helped her learn to balance school, sports and work.
In the classroom, Myers’ favorite subject is math, and she was awarded the top precalculus student award in 2019-20. She’ll study nursing and plans to work as an operating room nurse in her future.
“I have always gotten a little bit of a rush when I help people,” she said. “I also enjoy seeing people improve …”
As she heads to Altoona in August, she hopes to continue to work with the West Branch volleyball program in some capacity and will attend many games. She is also hopeful to remain a high-achieving student in her college years.
“I chose Altoona because it has a great nursing program, will allow me to remain with most of my friends and family and it provided me the chance to play volleyball. I was also excited to play … because I know many of the girls personally.”
While her junior and senior years of high school were largely impacted by COVID-19, she was able to make the most of every opportunity she has been given.
Her dedication and work ethic are something that are sure to follow, as she prepares for a new chapter beginning in August.
Perfect attendance for 13 straight years is something almost unheard of, and as she said just four years ago as a high school freshman, “what is only four more years?”
Will GANT News write a trilogy in 2025 to celebrate 17 years of perfect attendance? Only time will tell.