School: Eudora High School; Grade-point average: 4.0; Class rank: 1; Parents: Scott and Becky Vickers, Eudora

The Eudora High School senior’s career has been a balancing act.

And Kayci Vickers has handled it extremely well considering the many activities she’s involved in: volleyball, Future Business Leaders of America, softball and band.

“Being a part of things just teaches you to be committed,” she said.

Her 4.0 grade-point-average also means she hasn’t shied away from her academic obligations.

“I’ve gotten more well-rounded since I’ve been involved in things. That’s helped me to stay motivated for everything,” Vickers said.

She plans to attend Kansas University this fall to double-major in cognitive psychology and biology with hopes to study cognitive neuroscience in graduate school.

Her parents, Scott and Becky Vickers, have taught her to embrace challenges and be passionate about her work and activities.

She’s struggled through classes in her career, but her 4.0 grade-point-average indicates she works through difficult times. Vickers said plenty of times she wanted to give up on a homework assignment if she didn’t understand it, but she found sticking it out to be rewarding in the end.

Attending a smaller high school has also allowed her to meet friends outside of her main activities.

“It’s fun when you get to play off other people’s strengths in different areas,” she said.

Honors, activities: Pittsburg State University Jazz Festival, International Association for Jazz Educators Citation Outstanding Musicianship (9); TARC National Rocketry Competition (10-11); FBLA districts competitor (10-12), first place word processing II (11-12), second place international business (10); FBLA state competitor (10-12), third place word processing II (11); district solo and ensemble (11), superior 1 rating saxophone ensemble; state solo and ensemble (11), superior 1 rating saxophone ensemble; Neewollah Marching Festival (12), 2 rating field performance, 1 rating parade performance; Baker Honor Band (12); U.S. Achievement Academy National Honor Roll Award (11); All-American Scholar Award (11); Leadership Award (11); Kansas Honor Scholars (12); Kansas University Watkins-Berger Scholar (12); FBLA (10-12); National Honor Society (11-12); EHS Rocketry Club (10-11); volleyball (9-12), lettered (10-11), team co-captain (11-12), sub-state championship (9-11), 4A state champions (11), program of the year (11), Kansas Volleyball Association All-Academic Team (10-11) All-League honorable mention (11); Journal-World All-Area second team (11), All-League second team (12), varsity defensive player of the year (10-12), coaches award (11-12); softball (9-12), lettered (10-12), regional champions (2007), state runners-up (2007); Senior Advisory Committee (12); class secretary (9); jazz band (9, 12); marching concert band (10-12).

College: Kansas University

Career plans: graduate degree in cognitive neuroscience

Major: cognitive psychology and biology with an emphasis in neurobiology