By James Tatter, Editor-in-Chief
Chauntina Clark moved to Winston-Salem from Georgia her sophomore year: “I honestly hated every single second of living here, and Reynolds itself,” Clark recalled.
These don’t sound like the words of a girl who, now a senior, has left as much of a positive impression on R.J. Reynolds High School as it has on her.
Clark’s beginnings at Reynolds were unpleasant, as could happen to any student moving in the middle of high school. But as she nears the end of her time at Reynolds, Clark looks back on her experience with nothing but enthusiasm.
“After being here for three years, it’s really hard not to enjoy Reynolds and all it has to offer,” Clark said.
Clark is a member of the varsity softball team and the Dancing Boots.
“I’ve been playing softball for 11 years, and I’ve loved every single minute of it,” Clark said. “I love my team and my coaches, and in this short amount of time (that I’ve been at Reynolds) I’ve grown to love them like a second family.”
Sarah Rice, a freshman on the softball team, has appreciated the vitality that Clark provides.
“She brings a lot of energy to the team, and she’s always making us laugh,” Rice said. “She makes games and practices more fun and I’ve really loved being on a team with her.”
Clark began dancing after signing up for dance classes upon arriving at Reynolds, but it took her until her senior year to decide to try out for the Dancing Boots.
“I could just remember the end of my sophomore year after seeing the Boots perform at the basketball games, I just knew I wanted to be a part of that,” Clark said.
Clark described the hard work she put in to develop the skills necessary to try out to be a Boot, and how it meant stepping outside of her “comfort bubble.”
“Even though it was a little intimidating first starting out, it has been so much fun and an experience like no other,” Clark said.
Clark’s Boots coach and dance teacher, Caitie Reece, said that even though Clark was relatively new to dancing, she more than met the challenge.
“She has worked her behind off to build up her technical level,” Reece said. “She is more than capable of keeping up with dancers who have been dancing since they were 3.”
Reece also described Clark’s immediate ability to be a leader on the team.
“She’s very nurturing,” Reece said. “She doesn’t like for anybody to feel left out, and she takes care of everybody, and even though she does that she still has a very vibrant personality.”
Clark’s nurturing personality extends to her life at home, where she often baby-sits.
“Most of my friends think I have this superstar lifestyle on the weekends and after school,” Clark said. “But I legit sit in my house and watch Netflix and babies… It’s just what I do.”
Although her path at Reynolds didn’t start out smooth, Clark is cruising to home plate having made the most out of her high school career.
“I can honestly say coming to Reynolds gave me the typical ‘high school experience,’ ” Clark said. “If it were not for softball and dance, I would be so miserable because I would not have lived the ‘Demon life,’ which everyone should partake in.”