When you’re out there NOT doing your homework, some students are in their rooms, at their desks, working hard and getting the big numbers on that Parent Portal.  How does it all happen?  The Eagle’s Cry would like to introduce you to one of the best students in the business: Mia Dircks.

Mia spends a great deal of time doing the work others don’t want to—or cannot—do. In fact, she reads more than most of the eleventh grade…combined.

“I love to read. I read at least one book a day over the summer,” Mia said. While this may seem abnormal to the typical Bethpage student, it works for Mia. While most BHS students read between zero and five books a year, Mia reads over 100. And it shows in her grades.

“I have always been competitive and have always wanted to put my full effort into everything,” the BHS junior said. “I really enjoy trying to learn new things, so I have just developed a certain work ethic that allows me to succeed at new skills or activities that I practice.”

This is just one of the prime reasons why Mia excels in school—and also in track.

“I run in Varsity Winter and Spring Track. I run the 55 hurdles and do high jump in Winter and do 400 hurdles, High Jump, and 100 hurdles in Spring. My best time in 55H was 9.8, 1:09 in the 400H, and 17.2 in the 100H. My best height for High Jump was 5’3″, and I sprained my ankle attempting 5’4″ the week of Counties. That was a fun one,” Mia said.

Put more simply, Mia is an amazing tracklete; she can jump higher than the standing height of an average freshman, and she can run a lap around the track and jump hurdles in one minute and nine seconds. Some track runners can’t even run a lap in this time, even without the hurdles.

Mia is committed in everything she does and puts time and effort in all her activities. Not only is Mia a good athlete; she is an amazing teammate. Some days, just out of the kindness of her heart, she will bake cookies for the team. This is not something Mia even mentioned in the interview; this reporter knows it because she has been on the receiving end of said cookies…and let me tell you, she can bake some cookies. Mia also cheers on all of her teammates, during their races. Even at practice, Mia helps. This reporter used to run hurdles with her, and she set such good examples and always helped me with my form and encouraged me to not give up.

Mia wrote a serious, award-winning-level story for Journalism during 10th grade. I guess she had some spare time—even though she has none.

“When I was in Journalism, my best story was about implementing a Solar Panel program in BHS. I calculated the costs and profits of the program and mapped out the installation of the panels on the roof,” Mia said. “I even called the owner of a flagship store in Sayville and interviewed him. It was very informative.”

“Mia was one of my finest journalism students ever. Her in-depth interviews and writing were top-notch,” said Mr. Malossi.

As mentioned, Mia puts time and effort into everything in which she participates.