Whiz Kid: Deanna Schwartz

Deanna Schwartz is enjoying a successful season with the swim team at Upper Moreland High School.  However, Schwartz’s heroics in the water are only a small part of her very busy story.

Schwartz plays field hockey in the fall and will play lacrosse for the Golden Bears in the spring.  She is president of the Student Council and a member of the National Honor Society. Schwartz also serves as vice-president of the Key Club and is involved with the “Bear Buddies” program. 

At the start of the school day, Schwartz is one of the television anchors for the morning announcements.

How does she do it? 

“I really enjoy being involved with the school as much as possible,” said Schwartz.  “It really is kind of hectic sometimes, but I just try to take one day at a time and handle it.  I also enjoy it so much.  I really like high school and I like to be involved as much as possible.”

Schwartz is the role model for time management. 

She always has time for swimming in the winter months and is part of a 400 freestyle relay team that will be competing against the best in the state.

“The swimming season was a little rough at first,” Schwartz said.  “But once we got it going, it was really good. My relays made the states, so it ended really well.”

Schwartz’s calendar of activities would leave most students with little time for swimming. The demands of practice time, as well as the physical toll make it one of the most challenging sports to participate in at the high school level.

“The schedule for swimming is really rough,” said Schwartz.  It’s a long season.  It’s by far the longest season of all my sports.  Sometimes, it’s a little frustrating and stressful, but I try to keep it going.”

Schwartz’s relay team also consists of Sophomores Anna Hakes and Saige Wenik along with freshman Amber Saint Clair. 

While Schwartz provides leadership as a senior, she believes the experience she and her teammates have swimming together  has led to their success this season.

“The four of us on the relay have been swimming together since we were little,” Schwartz said.  “We know each other really well and we have great chemistry.  All four of us are really experienced and we really motivate each other.”

As graduation draws closer for most seniors, it is easy to get distracted with the end of high school in sight.  Despite the temptation to be stricken by 'senioritis,' Schwartz is still making the most of her senior year at Upper Moreland.

“Senioritis is a small factor,” Schwartz said.  “I’m not going to lie about it.  I really do think I’m still motivated and I really enjoy sports so much.  It’s a big part of my life.  I’m enjoying it just as much as any other year.”

Schwartz is also looking forward to the future.  She is heading to Bloomsburg University next fall.

“I’m looking into the medical field,” Schwartz said. “Bloomsburg is one of the colleges that’s really good for a nursing major. Plus, the campus and the atmosphere made it the only college I could actually see myself at.  When I visited there, that’s when I knew that’s where I was supposed to be.”

When the state swimming championships come to an end, Schwartz will jump directly into lacrosse.  The lacrosse team has already begun practice, but Schwartz is looking forward to her next athletic endeavor.

“I’m sort of new at lacrosse since I just started last year,”  Schwartz said. “But it’s so much fun and it’s pretty much the same girls from the field hockey team.”

Many students leave high school after making a lasting impression on their schools. It will be hard to find anyone at the high school level who will be remembered as much as Schwartz will be remembered at Upper Moreland.

“I really do like being well-rounded,” Schwartz said. “I like to be involved with so much.  I just try to enjoy life as much as possible. You’re only in high school once, so I really try to live it up and I want to try and leave a mark when I leave high school.”