Fox Valley Association

Name: Ella Schwan

School: Appleton North

Year in School: Senior

Sports: Swimming and Diving, Track and Field

Other school clubs/activities: Link Crew, National Honor Society, Mindset Mastery

Parents’ names: Emily and Jason Schwan

Siblings’ names: Olivia and Jacob Schwan

Favorite aspect of your school: The environment at North is so tight knit between the students of all grades and the teachers. I love walking into school each day with a strong sense of belonging and community. 

If you have been involved in community service projects, which has been most rewarding and why? Over the past year, I've volunteered at Pillars in downtown Appleton and served meals on Sunday evenings. This service is very rewarding as it is based in the center of our community and directly helps those in need of a meal. For me, personally, this service has been a great opportunity to serve food to those in need with a smile on my face, ultimately serving our community. 

What is your favorite class? Throughout my four years at North, Spanish has always been one of my favorite subjects. This year, especially, I've really been able to further my writing and speaking skills as well as learning about key cultural aspects of the Spanish speaking world. I hope to continue learning this language in the future (with a big thanks to Señora Peterson!).

Who is your favorite teacher? Mrs. Stidham Gebert is easily one of my favorite teachers this year. She is North's AP Biology teacher, and her deep passion and extensive knowledge of the subject make her stand out from the rest! She is always willing to answer questions, help out, and simply care for students. 

What is the best advice one of your coaches has given you? "Take a deep breath" and "control the controllables" are the two pieces of advice that I carry with me to every competition

Favorite place to play on the road in the FVA? Neenah or Appleton East

Favorite athlete to compete against in the FVA: Olivia Schwan (Appleton North) or Ava Schwan (Appleton East)

Favorite memory from being involved in co-curricular activities is…: watching myself and my teammates improve over the season; seeing our hard work pay off!

Favorite professional team: Green Bay Packers

Favorite professional athlete: Carissa Moore

College or post-high school plans: Attending UW-Madison

What is your desired major/career field? Biology

Something people would be surprised to know about me is…: I broke my arm doing a cartwheel in first grade.

What is at the top of your “bucket list?” Going free diving in the ocean.

What is your dream job? Anything biology based, preferably near the water!

Favorite person to follow on Social Media: @earth

When I have a weekend off of sports, you can usually find me... With my friends or eating ice cream (or both).

A non-athletic talent I have is…: beach-combing