Lampeter-Strasburg High School (LSHS) senior Cassie Meck is a girl of many talents. She's been playing softball since she was 10 years old, and she is president of Tri-M Music Honor Society, vice president of Thespian Society, and secretary of Spanish Club. She is a member of National Honor Society, Varsity Club, the concert and jazz bands, Madrigals, Pioneer Interact Club, the spring musical cast, and the varsity softball team. Cassie attends Strasburg Mennonite Church, where she was baptized in 2018. Last fall, she was a West Lampeter Fair queen candidate.

"I just like to try new things and stick with them," said Cassie. "Everything that I do I enjoy because it's all for the honor and glory of the Lord. That's one of my biggest priorities."

Cassie also works part-time at her family's business. The Meck family has operated a stand at the Lancaster Central Market since 1960. Although its retail presence dates to 1960, the Meck family has a farming history that spans six generations. In 2002, the Meck family purchased the farm where it is currently located along Beaver Valley Pike between Strasburg and Quarryville. What Cassie remembers about her childhood is going to Central Market every Saturday to stock produce and help her dad with the customers.

"I think the biggest thing I learned from that was just how to interact with people, which is a really big help in everything that you do," she explained.

Cassie recently won a Scholastic Art National Gold Award for her ceramic piece "Graves Into Gardens." She was one of only two winners for this region in art and one of 2,000 overall for art and writing combined. There will be a national awards ceremony on Thursday, June 9, at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Cassie's piece is a canopic jar, a type of vessel used by ancient Egyptians to contain mummified organs. Based on this tradition, Cassie made her jar in remembrance of her grandfather who died last year. She filled the base of the jar with dead flowers she had kept from her grandfather's funeral, and in the hollowed head on the top of the jar, she planted a flower. She said she plans to give the jar to her grandmother.

Cassie views this award as one of the major highlights of her time at LSHS. Another highlight of her high school experience is her involvement in the spring musicals. She said her two favorite productions were "The Wizard of Oz" because it was her first lead role and "Anything Goes" because she learned how to tap dance.

"I always say that at Lampeter-Strasburg you're blessed to have such amazing teachers, and they all encourage me to keep doing the extracurriculars that I do and to do them well," stated Cassie. She also noted that her parents, Robert and Shannon, and siblings, Amber, Chloe, and Austin, are very supportive.

For students who are approaching high school, Cassie has some advice. "It never hurts to try something new," she commented. "Just open yourself up to as many opportunities that come your way because you never know where that will take you."