For those of you who know Sadie Blackshear, count your blessings because I can promise you she is one of them! To put it simply, Sadie is a light in every person’s life she comes in contact with due to her constant positivity, passion of helping others, and having the bubbliest of personalities. If you have ever seen Sadie walk down the halls of Rocky Mount Academy, it’s easy to say that everyone is her friend: the Pre-K class runs and hugs her, the high school and middle school students share smiles with her, and the teachers make a point to stop and speak to her. If any person could have just half the goodness Sadie has, the world would be a much better place!

  
Sadie began her RMA career all the way back in Kindergarten, making this year her 13th year attending! Since 5 years old, she has transformed this school and students of all ages by being involved in sports, clubs, and extracurricular activities. Sadie works during the summer at the RMA Summer Camp with other high schoolers entertaining and playing with kids in grades Pre-K through 6th Grade. During the school year she also dedicates her time, in her off seasons between sports, to the After School Enrichment for children in the afternoons. Besides giving herself to the kids at the school and community with the camp and ASE, Sadie is involved in many clubs! She can be found organizing events for ARF, helping make cards for nursing homes in CARE Club, tutoring with STARZ during her study halls, or volunteering at Key Club events. Outside of school related activities, Sadie can be found hanging out with her friends, or attending concerts (she really does go to the coolest concerts!)! Sadie has an adventurous spirit, which lead her this past Spring Break to China! Sadie travelled with the school abroad for a week exploring the country’s history, culture, and cuisine. She did some of the most amazing things you could think of, like climbing the Great Wall for instance!

Besides the fact that Sadie is involved in a range of activities in and outside of school, she also is a wonderful student. Sadie has been a member of National Honors Society throughout high school, which requires at least a 4.2 GPA to be inducted. For her senior year, her schedule is far from easy, consisting of AP Calculus, AP Economics, Yearbook, AP English, AP Psychology, and Spanish IV. Not only is she excelling academically in the classrooms here, but in the classrooms of Davidson! She was accepted into a selective summer program which she attended in July before her senior year began (which she tells us more about in the interview below!).

Outside the classrooms, Sadie can be found crushing it on the volleyball court or softball field. She has been playing both volleyball and softball all of her high school career, so I know her team will miss her talents and hard work after graduation!

Sadie, as a friend of yours, I am going to miss seeing you so often after graduation. We both began our RMA experience together in Kindergarten and are ending together as Seniors. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for you, and I know for a fact you are going to make this world a better place! Thank you for always being your authentic self. Without your presence here, the senior class would have a hole that couldn’t be filled, and the school wouldn’t be what it is today. RMA wishes you the best of luck in your future!

1.What is your favorite movie?
I absolutely adore The Princess Bride, but Hercules is by FAR the best animated Disney movie (or maybe The Hunchback of Notre Dame is? I can’t decide).

2. What do you love most about RMA?
I love that I can walk through the school and recognize nearly everyone; the close community means so much to me. It feels good to walk through the courtyard while little kids are playing and have them stop and talk to you!

3. What is your favorite memory from attending RMA?
This is honestly the hardest question on here, but my first thought is definitely the first day of school every year. The excitement of meeting new friends that have lasted me through the years always made me so happy!

4. I know you absolutely love music. Can you tell me some of your favorite concerts you have attended?
A few of my favorite shows I’ve been to in the past year are Misterwives, Jon Bellion, Saint Motel, and Foo Fighters!

5. What person has impacted your life the most?
My great grandma was an amazing source of light for much of my childhood. She taught me to love intensely and that a little cake never hurt

6. What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I’m proud of myself for making it up the steps of the Great Wall (if you know, you know). But I suppose I’m also pretty proud of myself for making it through the past AP season with minimal breakdowns hahah!

7. Where are you interested in applying? 

Davidson College, Wake Forest University, College of William & Mary, University of Richmond, and Appalachian State University! 

8. I know that you attended a highly selective summer program at Davidson. Can you tell me about it? What did you like most?
I was able to enroll in 2 sociology classes taught by actual Davidson professors, and it was absolutely amazing! I got to meet 78 other people from all over the world, from Vietnam to Greece to Lithuania to Turkey and all the way back to Raleigh. I loved the community that we formed amongst ourselves, and I REALLY hope I get to see a lot of my friends at Davidson next year (fingers crossed!!).

9. If you could choose any career in the world, what would you choose to do?
Honestly, I’m not sure yet, but I hope I get to help people in need. 

10. What is something most people don’t know about you?
I have a big collection of succulents and cacti growing in mugs given to me by my friends on my window ledge in my bedroom!