DEXTER, Maine — As Maine's high school winter sports season wraps up this week, many students will finally have time to unwind after weeks of juggling school and athletic responsibilities.
But the workload won't slow down for Annika King, a senior at Dexter Regional High School. During the winter season, she helps coach the school's unified basketball team.
"Bonding with those kids and getting to play with them, it's so much fun for them and for us, it always brings a smile to everyone's face," King said.
Before basketball season came around, King was busy in the fall running cross-country and playing soccer. In the spring, she's on the tennis team.
She also has plenty of responsibilities at school, serving in leadership positions within student government, the honors society, Key Club, in addition to being involved in other clubs and organizations.
"I found a way to manage it, and I still think it's really fun to be involved in my school and community," King added.
Outside of the school community, King is already getting experience in the healthcare field. After graduation, she plans to study nursing at one of Maine's community colleges.
Before she even begins her college coursework, King will have a head start over some of her peers as she became a certified nursing assistant and volunteers at a local nursing home.
"[Nursing] is really what I want to do, I love helping these people, they always make my day and I love working with them, so I decided, 'Yup, nursing is definitely what I want to go into,'" King said.