Corynn Taylor’s senior year at Vandalia High School feels like a balancing act between accomplishment and uncertainty. Her schedule is packed—AP Calculus, dual credit English, yearbook, child development, and volleyball—but she admits she’s trying to “ease her way out” after the rigor of her junior year. Still, even in this final lap, Corynn can’t help but push herself. She has always been the student who finishes tests early, the one who thrives on proving what she’s capable of.

Her academic record tells the story. One A-minus across all of high school. A GPA above 4.0. An ACT score atop nearly 90% nationally, achieved through steady preparation rather than guesswork. Some have urged her to retake it, to chase the higher scores that could unlock more scholarships and opportunities. Corynn isn’t sure. “I know I tried my hardest on this test. If that’s what I got, then that’s what I got,” she says. But she also admits that raising it by a few points would make her feel better—and lighten the financial load for her family.

Family is never far from her mind. With three older brothers, an older sister, and a younger sister, she sits squarely in the middle of a big family. Her stepmother’s health struggles and her father’s work have sometimes placed extra responsibility on her shoulders. She works at Arby’s, juggles volleyball, and helps out at home when she can. “It’s a full life, for sure,” she says with a quiet smile.

Volleyball is the heartbeat of her high school years. It has been her sport since junior high, and the thought of the season ending is bittersweet. “That’s just what I look forward to every year. To be able to keep doing it in college would be amazing,” she says. Recruitment forms are already on her desk, though she admits she wants to stay closer to home now than she once did. Indiana State, just across the border, is on her radar—far enough to feel independent, close enough to keep ties with family.

Corynn has also discovered she is stronger in English and writing than she once believed. “I always thought I was good at math and science,” she says, “but then I scored higher in English on the ACT.” It has nudged her sense of what she might study, though she’s still undecided. Teaching appealed to her once, until she learned about salaries. The medical field intrigued her after an Anatomy class and cadaver lab experience, but the years of schooling feel daunting. For now, she remains open, determined to find something she enjoys that also provides stability.

What anchors her is the people around her. Teachers and coaches who provide calm and encouragement. Friends who pushed her to join volleyball back in junior high—friends whose influence helped turn her into the dedicated student she is today. “If I hadn’t met them, I wouldn’t care,” she admits. “She had to convince me to join the team, and now it’s my favorite part of my year.”

Looking back, Corynn sees how far she has come since her fourth-grade self, the girl who admits she was once a troublemaker. She found her stride, her discipline, and her drive. And now, though the future may feel uncertain, her preparation and resilience shine through. “I want to find something like that so badly,” she says, speaking of the kind of passion that can fuel both a career and a life.

For Corynn Taylor, the search for that passion isn’t a sign of being behind. It’s proof that she’s still moving forward, still building the story that is 100% her own.