Teen of the Month dreams of following in her family's footsteps

BY CJ DOEBLER

THE STANDARD-JOURNAL



MUNCY — Growing up in a family of teachers, Addison Gresh found inspiration and a love for teaching that only grew with time spent coaching and volunteering alongside children in her community.

A Muncy Junior/Senior High School senior, Gresh has been selected as the Lycoming Valley Teen of the Month. The program is presented by Pennsylvania General Energy Company (PGE) and Sample News Group, the parent company of The Standard-Journal, in partnership with the 15 high schools in Lycoming, Sullivan and lower Tioga counties, to recognize the exemplary efforts of high school seniors.

Addison is the daughter of Jason Gresh, a math teacher at her high school, and Kelly Gresh, an elementary school teacher.

"My grandparents were teachers as well," Addison Gresh said. "So I guess you could say 'it must run in the family.'"

While Gresh grew up in Montoursville, she would visit Muncy frequently throughout the years before permanently moving there while in seventh grade.

A lover of athletics, Gresh joined her school district's basketball and soccer teams upon attending and found, what she described as, an incredible support system and community.

"Being able to be a part of these teams has elevated my high school experience and helped me, especially when I first moved, gain so many friends and learn to have a consistent routine," said Gresh. "I experienced very early on how Muncy has a wonderful community and how everyone comes together for everything."

Gresh recounted one of her favorite moments in high school; when both the girls' and boys' basketball teams won a district title.

"The support we got from the community and the way everyone came together and became one when it happened... it was so incredible to see," she said.

Gresh has even helped ref elementary and junior high basketball teams for her district, an experience she described as very rewarding and hopes will leave a legacy for the younger students.

A long-time lover of her community, Gresh began community service while in seventh grade.

Alongside her brother, who was a high school senior and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) member at the time, she helped break up leaves for people in the fall as part of a joint FBLA and State Farm Insurance community clean-up program.

Gresh would go on to help keep her community clean by volunteering with "Doing Good in the Neighborhood" in high school, where she worked with members of the community to ensure that their public spaces were litter-free.

Additionally, she volunteered with the "Community Closet", organized by the area's students, where she aided in receiving clothing donations that would then be provided to community members in need.

"Being able to do things like this have been really character building," Gresh said.

While exhibiting hard work in her schoolwork and passions have been essential, being a good person, she said, is the most important quality she's learned to exhibit throughout the years.

"Having compassion and being able to speak to others with kindness... it helps you succeed so much further than just being good at something," Gresh said. "I've learned through a lot of community service that when you are able to connect with the community and speak with its people on a personal level, every experience just gets elevated so much more."

In her free time, Gresh enjoys spending time with her friends and family, irregardless of what they do together.

Gresh's favorite classes in high school were Chemistry and AP Chemistry, both taught by her role model Mrs. Peterman (reach out to confirm first name).

Gresh hopes to follow in her favorite teacher's footsteps and become a chemistry teacher after college, modeling the fun and engaging atmosphere she experienced in her classes.

She plans on attending Indian University of Pennsylvania, where she was recently accepted. She wants to study secondary education in chemistry.

Gresh believes that her volunteer work with children in her community has provided her with the tools necessary to pursue her dream.

In addition to being a referee, she has helped organize "fun nights" for local elementary students and lead orientations for incoming high school students.

"A lot of my volunteer work is with elementary students or involves giving back to younger generations, which I think is going to help me excel in my major," she said. "I want to teach, and to be able to give back to my community and connect with kids at a young age... I think (it) will only help prepare me more for when I've graduated (college)."

When asked about what she would like younger students to anticipate about attending high school, Gresh replied with the following advice:

"Give back and get involved as much as you can. You're going to look back and wish you did more," Gresh said. "These are the final years before adulthood, and being able to have the freedoms in high school to do whatever sport you want or join whatever club you want... that's an amazing opportunity that we can't take for granted."