This week’s Senior Spotlight is focused on Natalie Copeland, a friendly and compassionate student who joined the RMA family a few months into junior year of high school after attending Greenfield Academy in Wilson, NC.
Although new to RMA, Natalie earned a spot on the A/B Honor Roll and High Honors during her junior year, and she is still challenging herself as a senior by taking AP Biology, AP Psychology, Algebra 3 Trig, and English 12 Advanced while also serving as an EC intern. Her favorite course is AP Biology since Mrs. Lehnes, her favorite teacher, is so incredibly nice! Although Natalie describes RMA’s academics as more challenging than what she encountered in the past, she is happy she made the change to come here.
Embracing her new school, Natalie participates in the Key Club (a service-based organization), the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the Stronger Together Club (which provides support to the Exceptional Children’s Program). Natalie says her favorite memory with Stronger Together is going to the Special Olympics and watching members of the Exceptional Children’s classes play sports and interact with each other.
In Natalie’s free time, she enjoys going to the beach, describing it as bringing her peace and happiness, so she looks forward to her annual summer trip to Florida. She also loves shopping, spending time with friends, and playing pickleball.
Natalie’s more serious sport is volleyball. Despite only playing on the RMA’s volleyball team her senior year (she was still at Greenfield for her junior season), Natalie has played varsity volleyball since 8th grade. She received MVP as a freshman and the Coach’s Award as a sophomore. Also showing just how good she is at volleyball, Natalie earned the position of captain starting in just 9th grade and was picked again in grades 10 and 11! Outside of school, Natalie plays travel volleyball with the East Carolina Junior Volleyball Club, a highly competitive club based out of Greenville. Of the many tournaments and events she has played in, Natalie says she most enjoyed the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships, which are based in Orlando, Florida, and host over 6,500 volleyball teams.
Natalie has decided to attend Meredith College in Raleigh, NC, next year to study child development and become a child behavioral specialist who works with exceptional children. She says that joining RMA is what made this possible: working as an exceptional children’s intern has given her a different perspective on life and changed her as a person–a change that has inspired her to pursue a career helping such special students. Rocky Mount Academy is proud to have been part of her journey and knows Natalie will excel in anything she puts her mind to!
Get To Know Natalie!
Who is your role model, and why?
My papa because he shows me that no matter what, if you keep pushing, you will get through it.
What is your favorite food?
My favorite food is chicken–any kind of chicken–but my go-tos are Chick-fil-A and Zaxby’s.
If you could be any teacher for the day, who would it be and why?
I would be Mrs. Whitehead so I could do my dream job and be with the EC kids all day. She makes everyone smile.
What is one lesson you learned at RMA?
To be proud of the work I do, the person I am, and the difference I make.
