Rory Mott has decided karate is something she wants to do for years to come.

The Bowling Green High School recent graduate was involved in drama club, Improv Troupe, Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), band, choir, and is a Girl Scout.

But it is karate t hat has helped with her confidence.

“I am a black stripe belt in karate. I have been studying karate for about 7.5 years. I wanted to start martial arts because my babysitter was a black belt growing up. She was cool, and I wanted to be like her,” Mott said. “My little brother joined karate classes and my friend asked if I wanted to join him. I said yes. When I joined, I immediately knew that this was something that improved my confidence a lot. It’s something that I knew I wanted to continue doing.”

During her tenure at BGHS, she took advantage of several opportunities to be involved.

“I hold officer positions in drama club. I’m historian and the workshop’s officer. I am the communications officer for the GSA. I co-lead the Improv Troup with one of my good friends,” Mott said. “Band and choir have been all four years of high school, which has led me to pursue music education next year, specializing in elementary music.”

As Mott prepares to begin her college career, she will forever cherish the memories made in Bowling Green. The faculty and staff have made a positive impact throughout her high school experience, she said.

“I am going to go to Heidelberg University next year, double majoring in music education and music composition. I knew that I wanted to do this because a lot of my favorite teachers (and most impactful teachers) have been our music teachers. They’ve taught me a lot about myself and a lot about how I can interact with other people and make a positive impact,” Mott said. “One of my favorite teachers, Mr. Marzola, was one of the first adults in my life that really allowed me to be myself. I want to make sure that I pay that forward.”