Isaiah stover

To hear Sarah Smith describe Lincoln High's International Baccalaureate program, it just sounds like a lot of work.Think Advanced Placement classes, but you don't get to pick and choose the courses you want. Rather, they're all advanced courses that interweave with each other, and a student has to meet the requirements to earn that coveted IB diploma.But much like athletics, dedication can lead to success."In order to succeed, you really have to put in the effort," Smith, a senior at Lincoln High, said of her approach to both athletic and academics. "And that's kind of the same with golf and tennis because they're not just something that you can just pick up. You kind of have to dedicate your time to go hit or go practice on the range and then play. And maybe take lessons or go play with friends."And there's definitely something to both, academics and golf and tennis, where you have to keep doing and it's not like you can stop and you'll come back with the same skills that you had … [Read more...] about Academic All-State: Keeping up with the Smiths of Lincoln High

Justine Linscott is not stranger to a mental workout.But despite winning a Class A No. 2 singles state tennis title last spring, her mental strength does not come from the tennis court.The Lincoln East senior ranks sixth in her class of 496 students with a 4.5 grade-point average. AP exams and other classwork are Linscott’s main focus as she strives to live out the word that comes first in "student-athlete."That hasn’t come without sacrifice.“I just know my priorities," she said. "So knowing what is important to me, the biggest thing being school, has really helped me throughout high school."Those priorities took a shift about four years ago. Not with school, that has always been No. 1, but with sports.Linscott may have won a state title as a junior last year, just three years after she picked up a tennis racket.Before that, tennis wasn’t in Linscott’s future, it was gymnastics.With gymnastics, Linscott said she learned to play tennis and become a good … [Read more...] about Academic All-State: Through gymnastics, East’s Linscott found balance between tennis, studies