GRATITUDE. “The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for all that He, in His goodness, sends to us day after day,” by St. Gianna Beretta Molla is Stella’s favorite quote because it reflects her values. Stella Raye Martin was born on February 2, 2008 to Brent and Megan Martin. Stella was raised in Waterville, Kansas with her younger brother, Kalen. When asked who has impacted her life the most, Stella said, “My mom has had the biggest impact on my life because she has taught me to always put God first and everything else second. If God is at the center of your life, the rest will fall into place.” Stella’s greatest accomplishment was converting to Catholicism. One thing most people don’t know about Stella is that she’s really good at trap shooting.
Throughout Stella’s high school career she has been involved in FFA and FCA 4 years; Art Club and Softball 3 years; All School Play, KAY, NHS, and Mustang Mentor 2 years; and Volleyball 1 year. Stella has held many leadership positions the past four years that include, FFA Sentinel 1 year; FFA Vice President 1 year; Softball Captain 1 year; and FCA Leadership team 2 years. When asked what her favorite memory from high school was, she said “I will never forget sophomore homecoming when Ella Swearingen popped her grandpa's tire before the homecoming parade because she pulled over to get a part of the float that blew away in the wind.”
After high school Stella plans to attend Oklahoma State University to pursue a degree in Animal Science. In the next 10 years, Stella sees herself working in the animal industry and living on a ranch with her family. Stella's advice to underclassmen would be, “Stay on top of your work and don’t procrastinate.” When she leaves the Valley Heights community, she would like to be remembered for her kindness and willingness to help others.
Article by Kaitlin Hemry