This week, we are shining the spotlight on a senior like no other: Taylor Cole. Whether in the classroom or on the field, Cole exemplifies what it means to be a Concord student through her dedication and hardworking attitude. This is why we are proud to be spotlighting her.
Cole began her academic journey at Concord in Kindergarten. One of her favorite elementary school teachers was Mrs. Roth, whom she remembers fondly: “She was just very welcoming; she would make you feel comfortable and supported.” After elementary school, she continued to middle school, making some of her favorite memories while playing softball.
Once it came time for high school, Cole began to get extremely involved in the clubs and sports at Concord. This past year, she was a member of the golf and softball teams and a part of the student council and the NHS. Of all of her classes, her current favorite is Astronomy with Mrs. Fiero. She explains, “We are doing some new stuff, we are building bottle rockets right now. It’s different from what we usually do.”
The one sport she has always participated in is softball. It has been a big part of Cole’s life, beginning when she was young in the T-ball program. What first sparked her interest in the game was the fact that her mom was the coach. As time went on, she began to truly enjoy playing. She shares one of her favorite memories: “Probably when Pyper would not slide, ever, at any base.”
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Next year, she will be attending Grand Valley. She has many passions, so she is undecided about what exactly she will major in. Cole plans to start with her general education, then later decide on a major.
Outside of school, Cole pursues some of her hobbies. Her main ones include swimming, hanging out with her friends, and playing softball. Like many others, she also enjoys watching TV and listening to music. Her favorite TV show is Friends; her favorite movie is Coraline; and her favorite song is More Than a Woman by the Bee Gees.
After being in one place, there is much to miss. Cole shares what exactly this will be: “Seeing my friends every day.” She adds that if she could tell underclassmen one piece of advice, it would be not to take freshman and sophomore classes lightly. Be serious about them and do not get off track all the time. Cole adds that they also should not take anything for granted because it truly does go by quickly.
One of Cole’s close friends, Grace Thorrez, has known her for about 6 years now. Over that time, they have had countless laughs together, leading to amazing memories. Thorrez shares where some of her favorite memories occurred, “When we have had classes together, and she was always my partner. When we had Mr. Reniche and would play card games together in the corner, we could just not stop laughing.” They first met through softball, where Thorrez first realized how funny Cole was; this is her favorite thing about her. She explains, “She just makes me laugh. We can tease each other without hurting each other’s feelings. It is not something you can do with everyone.” Overall, she wants Cole to know she will miss her like crazy when it comes time for college, but hopes to see each other as much as possible!
Photo provided.
Cole has also been fortunate to grow up with family all around her, attending school with a few of these people. Her cousin, Macy Sinden, shares how this feels: “I like getting to go through all of the different high school experiences with someone I have been so close to since we were kids. It has been so fun growing up with Taylor, and I like to be able to look back on how much we have grown.” They have made numerous memories together, with one of Sinden’s favorites coming from when they were younger. These specific memories took place at their sleepovers, Sinden explains, “We used to ‘train’ to rescue animals and take care of them. We would pretend we were vets, and we would take care of all our pets. We also used to play outside all of the time and build tree forts for hours every day, I swear we never went inside!”
Mrs. Fiero has had Cole as a student since her freshman year. She has taught Biology, Anatomy, and now, Astronomy. Fiero goes into detail about how Cole differs from other students, explaining, “She fought through a lot her freshman year, then turned into a fantastic student. She is very dedicated to her work and extremely passionate about science and health careers in general; it is very evident to see that she is excited for her future.” She adds that her calm demeanor brings peace to the school, which is lacking in many places. Fiero also feels that she brings a lot of expectations, raising the bar for a lot of people.
Cole has set the standard for all student athletes, creating a better environment at the school. We are extremely proud of her and wish her the best of luck in all of her future endeavors!
