Kayla Burrow has been named January Youth Optimist at Merrill High School. Mrs. Polly Koebe nominated Kayla. “Kayla is a student in my College Algebra class. I also got to know her as she is working at Ana Blair’s Boutique,” Mrs. Koebe said. “Kayla is a hard-working young lady and, even though we can work on some challenging concepts, Kayla always has a smile on her face and a positive attitude about what we are doing. She is very helpful to those around her and encourages them to see the positive. When she is working at Ana Blairs, she is always sunny, polite, and very helpful when I am browsing in the store.”
“Kayla is an exceptional young lady,” she said. “She works hard towards her goals and is always positive and very conscientious about her tasks. If those around her need help, she is always willing to lend a hand, whether at school or for customers at work. When Kayla walks into a room, you can feel the positivity she exudes and her cheerful demeanor. Her smile is infectious and can brighten any room. Kayla takes challenging classes offered at Merrill High School, so she is not afraid to be challenged and does it with positivity and open-mindedness. She is a very hardworking young lady, who knows what she wants to do with her future and works extremely hard towards it; she does it with an attitude of optimism, diligence, and confidence”.
At MHS, Kayla has participated in Student Council, Junior Optimist, and Raise Your Voice (designing display cases).
Outside of school, Kayla is actively involved with St. Francis fish fry and cinnamon roll sales, Camp Forest Springs, Pine Crest, and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
After graduation, Kayla plans to go to Mount Mary University to get a Masters degree in Dietetics. She wants to work in a children’s hospital with kids who have health-related problems where they would need a dietitian to help them out. She is the daughter of Amber and John Burrow.