LIMA — Danielle Blakeley, 18, is a recent graduate of both Allen East High School and Apollo Career Center. She’s also earned credits at Rhodes State College on her way to pursuing a career in the medical field.
“I’m hoping to major in radiographic imaging (at Rhodes State College),” Blakeley said. “I’ve always had an interest in the healthcare field. I was never sure until I was at Apollo and in my anatomy class we were doing different X-ray stuff dealing with radiographic imaging and I think it just sparked and I think it stuck.”
Entering into the medical field in the middle of a global pandemic might seem either brave or a bit odd, depending upon your perspective.
“Seeing how it kind of a sudden came up and it’s not something you could ever plan for and knowing I’m going into it — it could happen again next year, 20 years, it could happen again, I could potentially be in it, so it’s a little iffy, but I’m always wanting to help people in any way possible and I know everybody in the healthcare field is doing their best right now and I would want to be a part of that if it would happen again,” Blakeley said.
The COVID-19 pandemic did affect some things she was looking forward to.
“The last week we were in school, I was supposed to go to state for Business Professionals of America and it suddenly got canceled. I really didn’t get a goodbye with my Apollo family and everybody so it’s kind of put everything to a halt with projects and life in general,” Blakeley said.
Besides being a member of the Business Professionals of America she was also on student council, was editor of the yearbook and was president of PEACE (Peers Encouraging Acceptance and Care for Everyone).
“It’s our version of a Gatekeepers group at Apollo and this was our first full year having the group. There was five members originally and we ended up growing to seven. Our little group put hearts on every single locker for Valentine’s Day and before the end of the school year, we ended up putting shamrocks with little notes promoting positive stuff around the school,” Blakeley said.
Blakeley also was inducted into the Allen East National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society at Apollo Career Center and graduated in the top 10 in her class at Allen East.
She’s also a bit sad that school ended the way it did.
“This has been a different experience, being a senior during the coronavirus. It’s something I’m never going to forget ever and it’s sad saying goodbye to my teachers the way I have, but it’s really something none of us 2020 graduates are ever going to forget,” Blakeley said.
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