Mara Kins '26 Recruiting Profile

Although I am only a Sophomore, I understand the importance of having a strong academic background, as well as having a balance of self care.  I work extremely hard at school to receive excellent grades, am in the National Honor Society and am applying for my Seal of Biliteracy.  Most importantly, I want to mention that I work hard on keeping a balance in my life - school, social life, volleyball, travel and self care. My parents have always said "check in with yourself" - to reflect on my own needs. Do I need to sleep?  Stud? Food? Relax?  Of course being a teenager isn't always easy, but with the support of my family I feel that I am capable of managing time and stress.

An interesting fact about me that you will see on my profile is that I don't attend a high school with a volleyball team. I play Club Volleyball. The school I attend is called California School of the Arts, which is rated the best arts school in the State of CA and the 4th Nation wide. I have a school day that lasts until 5:00 pm, as I attend the Integrated Arts Conservatory. I have a wide array of classes - everything from dance to stage combat to travel writing. My love is music. I have grown up in a Latvian family. Latvia has the richest collection of folk songs ever recorded. I play the guitar, piano, ukulele and sing.  I am incredibly involved in the Latvian community. I am a fluent Latvian speaker (my native language) and weave everything I do into my Latvian heritage.

Balancing life is wonderful and challenging, yet I feel that I have the mental capabilities to do a very wide array of things. I also have a very tight knit family that supports me in my endevours, including volleyball - tournaments, practices, physical therapy, etc.