Anna Searle is all-around awesome.

SCORE! Anna Searle ‘13 takes a free throw during the game against Northwestern, which the Red Devils won 50-32. Anna has been playing basketball since she was a little kid.

From the soccer field to the classroom, Anna Searle ’13 maintains an energetic attitude and hard-working mindset. To everything she does, Anna brings her diverse background and sense of humor.

“I think I’m really lucky because I’ve grown up being exposed to two really different cultures,” Anna said about growing up in a multicultural home.  “However, I should admit that I bring shame to my family because I can’t actually speak Chinese.”

Anna’s diverse background has led her all over the world.  “I’ve been to Taiwan to visit my grandparents who live in Taipei, which is a really cool city.”

Anna has also been to Italy and Jamaica.  She went to Mandeville, Jamaica for a mission trip with her church last summer, working with children of all ages in two different orphanages. “We worked with babies and that was really fun,” she said. “All the babies were really sweet and adorable.”

When Anna isn’t globetrotting, she keeps herself busy with a wide array of activities. Anna has played all four instruments in orchestra, but her main instrument is the violin. She plays goalie for the varsity soccer team and forward for the varsity basketball team, participates in the pit orchestra and is an active member of SHO (Student Humanitarian Organization).

“Looking back at her in goal while being on the field always made me feel more confident knowing she had my back,” said  Laurel Fricker ’13, who plays center midfield on the soccer team. “She saved our team many times and is an amazing keeper.”

In the winter, Anna switches from soccer to basketball. She has been playing the game ever since she was a kid.  “When I was little Kayla Jones’s [’13] dad had a team and I played on it.  It was really fun, and we just kept playing until forever,” she said.

Basketball teammate Grace VanSickel ’13 said that Anna always works really hard during the season.

Anna will be venturing into unknown territory this spring by trying out for the girls’ tennis team.  “I like playing tennis just for fun when I’m goofing around with my friends,” she said. “So, Maggie [Oates ’13] and I made a pact to try out together this spring!”

Anna’s more than just an athlete, though.  She is a witty, smart and an all-around caring person.  Her friend, Sarah Collicott ’13, remembers the kindness Anna showed her after her best friend moved away the summer of her 8th grade year.  “I was really worried I’d have no friends but Anna was one of the ones who really reached out to me after Kacy [Dunn] had moved, and we have been friends ever since!”

In the classroom, Anna enjoys math the most.  “I think it goes back to Patty Hufford’s eighth grade Algebra 1 Honors class, which was the best experience of my life,” she laughed.

Math isn’t the only subject she enjoys, though, which makes it challenging for her to make future plans.  “I’m still deciding between Purdue and IU,” she said. “Or, in other words, I’m deciding between engineering and business.”

She stressed that she didn’t have any definite plans, but wants to keep her options open.

Despite the uncertainty about what the future will bring, Anna is excited for the next phase of her life.  “I love meeting new people and getting fresh starts in new situations.  I’m not in any huge rush to be done with high school and there are a lot of things about high school that I’m going to miss, but I’m ready for something new and exciting!”

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Fun Facts:

Favorite color: cerulean

Favorite band: the Hush Sound

Favorite candy: Take 5

Favorite Movie: The Cinderella Story

Favorite Athlete: Carissa Pekny ’14

Favorite book: the 4th and the 6th Harry Potter books

Worst college admission question: Ethnicity because white and Asian are the two worst possible answers.

Life Goal: To remake the Harry Potter movies and make them way better than they actually are.

Height: 5′ 9 1/2″