January 2019 Student Spotlight: Anna and David Carpenter
At first glance, Shaker Heights High School sophomore David Carpenter and his younger sister, Anna, a freshman, seem to be leading parallel lives. Both earned All-Greater Cleveland Conference honors this year as runners on the High School cross country team. They’re both in Spanish III Honors class. And they both have a fondness for country music (thanks to their dad, Dave Carpenter, SHHS Class of ‘88). Their differences lie in their personalities, though the two are equally charming: Anna is upbeat and sunny, David is thoughtful and self-deprecating. Together as siblings, they are a truly supportive pair. Read more about David and Anna Carpenter.
Both of you had your fastest races of the year at the District meet. Anna, you covered the 5k in 19:41 and David, you in 17:14. Was that a coincidence?
Anna (giggling): So, it was hailing that day during our race and the course got really wet and muddy, so I really just ran fast because I wanted to get it over with. It was thundering and lightning, too. And by the end of the race, it was sunny. So there was a lot going on.
David: And for our race, it was sunny. But a lot of it was this feeling that that if we did well, then we could go to regionals, so in a sense, it was the most important race of the year for us. It was a pretty fast course, not too many hills. It was one of my favorite races.
When did you both start running?
David: I started in the fifth grade at Woodbury with Mr. Englander’s Woodbury Running Club. And then I ran cross country at the Middle School.
Anna: I ran at Woodbury, too. I liked it, and then in sixth grade, I started running cross country and then at the Middle School.
What was it like making the adjustment from Middle School to High School, as a student and as an athlete?
Anna: For me, it was a big change, but doing cross country really helped with the transition because I got to know more upperclassmen over the summer during practice. I didn’t just feel like the new person all the time.
David: Last year, as a freshman, I really didn’t know what to expect, but when it came to cross country, I realized pretty quickly that high school and middle school cross country are two very different things. It’s a lot of work and I had to learn to balance it all.
What has running cross country taught you about yourself or helped you with outside of running?
David: It’s helped me a lot with my time management and my work ethic, especially when it comes to getting all of my work for school done. And this year, I also want to run track and play baseball, so I have to be able to manage it all during those seasons, too. Cross country has also taught me a lot about myself. It’s tough because everything depends on individual performances, so if you mess up, it could really impact the rest of the team.
Anna: Cross country has helped me with time management, too, but it also helped me believe in myself. Cross country is a team sport, but it’s also an individual sport. You want to do well for the team, but you also want to try and beat your own record, so you have to believe in yourself that you can do it and that you’re not going to fail.
Do you guys get anxious before meets? How do you manage it?
Anna: I pump myself up to be happy about it and I tell myself that it’ll all be over in 20 minutes. During the race, I tell myself, “You’re almost done, you’re almost there.”
David: I’m usually pretty nervous, especially the day of meets. I don’t really do anything specific because I pretty much know that no matter what I do, I’m going to be nervous. Standing at a cross country line is one of the scariest things that I do. It feels like nothing else. I still don’t know how to cope with it, so I try to block it out.
So what keeps you running?
Anna: I actually like running. I think it helps calm my nerves and helps me to sort out stuff that I’m stressed about—it helps me to cool off. Yes, sometimes, running hurts, but that just meanss you’re getting better.
David: And for me, I’m a very anxious person, so running helps me to get everything out. The faster I go, the better I feel. But the actual act of running? I don’t like that in the slightest. I love the team, though. It’s just so much fun.
Anna: Yeah, the team really helps. It’s awful when you have to run by yourself because you have no motivation.
As siblings, what was it like to be at the state meet?
Anna: It was nice to have David and my family there to cheer me on. The course was muddy and wet and I’d hoped to do bette, but I definitely want to go back next year. I really want to break my PR or 19:30.
David: It was awesome to watch her at the state meet. Even though it wasn’t her best, I know she tried her hardest. And it was great to see her out there as a freshman, kicking butt with all the other older runners. She’s definitely going to be back and maybe next year some of the boys will be up there, too. But I’ll be there every year that she’s there, for sure.
What’s it like being in the same Spanish class?
Anna: It’s fine. We help each other out on homework. But I really like Spanish, I think it’s easier to learn than any other language. I think I get it, so I like it.
David: I’m not very good at Spanish, so I don’t like it as much as Anna does. Our teacher is great, but Anna is so much better at Spanish than I am.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Anna: Sleep and eat. I’ll draw sometimes. But basically, I’m running or at school. I like to watch shows when I can. I just recently watched Stranger Things and Vampire Diaries—those were both good.
David: One of my favorite things to do is to go fishing. I don’t do it as often as I’d like to do, but my dad and I get out when we can. A few weeks ago, he took me went fly fishing in Pennsylvania. It was super cold, but super fun because you have to wade into the water. I also listen to country music at lot.
Anna: I love country music, too. We both love it. My parents listen to it, but mostly, I picked it up because of David.
You also have a younger brother, Andrew, who’s seven. Does he go to all of your meets?
David: He does. He comes and cheers us on. He’s always shouting, “Go David! Go Anna!” My mom always makes a point that he gets dragged around to all of our stuff, so we have to go to his stuff, too. I love having Andrew around, though. He’s so much younger and he’s so full of energy. I love spending time with him—we’ve very similar and he looks and acts so much like I did when I was his age.
What’s your favorite subject? Any favorite teachers?
Anna: Science for sure because I want to be a marine biologist. My favorite teacher is Ms. Perry. She’s very helpful and she’ll always take the time to explain things to make sure that her students understand the information.
David: I love AP US History. Mr. Konopinski makes the class so fun. Also, my oceanography class is great. It’s such a chill class, plus my teacher Ms. Mercier is super nice and super helpful.
Last question: What IB learner attribute do you think you best exemplify?
Anna: I’d say caring. I like to help people when I can and to make sure that they’re feeling OK if they’re not feeling great or down. Also, maybe risk-taker because I think I take a lot of risks and I like to try new things to see if I’ll like them or not.
David: It’s a toss-up between caring and reflective. I like to help people for sure, but I’m also pretty reflective because I always like to look back on the past so that I can learn from my mistakes and try to see what I can do differently.