Meet Katelyn Klein, a senior at Buford High School. Katelyn is the daughter of Michael and Ronda Klein and sister to Tyler Klein, a Buford alumni from the class of 2016. After moving from Sacramento, California at the age of three, Katelyn has lived in the state of Georgia for 14 years and attended Buford City Schools since her 8th-grade year.
Katelyn is truly a multi-faceted individual; her skills and accomplishments in academics, extracurriculars, and athletics are impressive and indicate how well-rounded she is. As one of the highest academically achieving students at Buford High School, her grades and class rigor are proof of her hard work and dedication. Throughout high school, her straight-A record has never wavered, even after taking a total of 10 AP classes. Because of her impressive grades, Katelyn is a returning member of NHS and Beta Club, both of which are intended to honor high achieving students.
When asked about her favorite school subject, Katelyn claims that math is the best, hands down. “Math is my favorite because I like for there to be one specific answer to any question,” Katelyn says. “I love patterns, and I find it satisfying. Also, the subject just comes naturally to me.” It makes perfect sense that her favorite teacher would be Mrs. MacAdam, Katelyn’s 9th and 11th-grade math teacher. Katelyn explains why Mrs. MacAdam is her favorite, saying, “Mrs. MacAdam is more than a teacher to me; she’s a mentor. After having her for 2 years in high school, I feel that I know her and recognize her as not just a “one-year” teacher, but rather as someone who has taught me my entire high school career in multiple ways.”
In addition to her outstanding performance within the classroom, Katelyn also stands out as a three-time state champion for the Buford Girls Varsity Basketball team. When asked about her team’s success, Katelyn responded humbly, saying, “Winning three state championships is truly a blessing. The credit for our accomplishments, however, should be given to our hard work as a team, the high standards we hold ourselves to, and the culture within our program.” Through this experience, Katelyn believes she has grown as an athlete, but also as an individual.
In the past couple of weeks, Katelyn has also been awarded the title of National Hispanic Merit Scholar due to her high PSAT score. As a Hispanic Merit Scholar, Katelyn had to meet the requirements of being ¼ Hispanic, achieving the acceptable PSAT score, and having a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher in her junior year of high school. Katelyn reflects on her achievement with pride, saying, “Being awarded this honor is honestly amazing. It is opening a lot of opportunities for colleges and scholarships that I am aiming for.”
Outside of her crazy busy school life, Katelyn can be found at home, eating her favorite food, watermelon, and watching movies with her best friends. She also enjoys playing with her pet dog, a pug named Bumper. On the weekends, Katelyn is most likely cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs or, surprisingly, UGA’s main opponent, Alabama. Because the two teams don’t play against one another often, she claims that she has no trouble being fans of both.
All around, Katelyn is truly an exemplary student, athlete, and active member of the Buford community. Her dedication in every area of her life proves that she will go far; when she aims for a goal, she will undoubtedly achieve it. Katelyn is a Buford Wolf through and through, her involvement inside the school and within her community, proving the Buford tradition of excellence.
— By Regan Saunders
