Warrior Word

By Syd Nalamliang

Today’s Student Feature is on Edmonds-Woodway’s very own Lindsey Kerns! Lindsey is currently a Senior and was the girls swim team captain during this fall swim season. On top of that, she was elected as one of the four drum majors this year to lead the Edmonds-Woodway Pep Band. Lindsey’s also one of the 85 Seniors participating in the full IB diploma program.

Since freshman year, Lindsey has been a percussionist in Edmonds-Woodway’s band program. This year, she’s honing in on her timpany skills in the auditioned Wind Ensemble. Lindsey began her career as a percussionist back in 4th grade and has three years of experience playing the tenor saxophone. Her inspiration for becoming a percussionist came from her grandfather who is also a drummer, and she says she “wanted to be just like him” after growing up listening to him play. Alongside the three other drum majors, Lindsey has been helping band students of all grades and skill levels grow as musicians, striving to better both the band and school community. Lindsey’s favorite part of being a drum major has been her role in the community and contributing to the band through pep. She’s grateful for the band program and the students that make it up for creating an exciting band experience, one for both the participants and the audience.

As a senior and captain of the swim team, this season has been Lindsey’s fourth year on the school’s team. She’s been competitively swimming since she was twelve and has participated outside of school on the Yost Penguins swim team every year, excluding her junior year when it was cancelled. Her summer activities also include playing water polo for the private club, Innis Arden, located in Shoreline near Richmond Beach. Lindsey’s favorite part of being swim captain is just getting to watch her friends practice and see how they’re improving, all the while having fun and enjoying themselves in an arduous sport. As this is her last season at Edmonds-Woodway, she says she will miss high school athletics. One part of the team that Lindsey particularly enjoyed was their carpool system, where all of the girls enjoyed listening to Ed Sheeran music together and dubbed themselves “the Ed Sheeran Fan Club.”

Lindsey’s favorite memory from Edmonds-Woodway was her sophomore year Homecoming performance with the drumline, led by class of 2020 alumni EJ Brannan. The hard work and long hours put into their choreography made this one of the best experiences of her life. The cheers from the crowd as they walked off the field makes it a performance she’ll never forget.

After high school, Lindsey plans to continue with both swim and music. Her goal is to keep up with her hobbies and use them to surround herself with the same communities that have always been an outlet for happiness: a goal we should all strive for.