“Artist Michael John Bobak said, ‘All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.’ I cannot think of a better way to describe Taylor Misiolek’s journey to success over the last four years,” says Beth Brown, Misiolek’s honors English III teacher and current president of the Tennessee Education Association.
“Despite being uncomfortable, Taylor challenged her sophomore self to take honors-level junior English. Taylor earned top grades in both honors English II and honors English III that year, outscoring most of her classmates. And her self-imposed challenges didn't end there.
“Taylor’s achievements are due to determination, strong work ethic and courage. Her tenure at Grundy County High School hasn’t been an easy one, but Taylor has persevered and is set to graduate with top honors and as one of Grundy County’s most accomplished members of the class of 2020.”
“As an educator with nearly 20 years of experience, I feel assured that Taylor Misiolek will be a success story,” Brown concluded.
Misiolek, a senior at Grundy County High School and salutatorian of the class of 2020, lists her mom and her grandfather as leadership role models because they help so many people and try to improve their communities. But she also admits that as a big fan of superhero movies like “Captain American” and “The Avengers,” they, too, have been role models. “Captain America is always able to handle any situation,” said Misiolek. “He thinks it through, figures out how to solve the problem and does what is best for others. That is what I try to do.
“I like to help organize events and make them run smoothly, especially right now when everything seems to be in a wreck. It is rewarding to take a potentially overwhelming situation that has fallen on someone’s shoulders and give that person some relief.
“I have always been told that I have natural leadership ability, and during my high school years, I have taken on a lot of leadership roles. But I don’t know if I would have taken that first step if it hadn’t been for the encouragement of my freshman computer applications teacher and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) adviser, Franklin Cammack. He believed in my leadership abilities, encouraged me to take on more responsibility in the organization and taught me how to react to problems that might arise. If it hadn’t been for his encouragement, I don’t think I would have become an FBLA officer at the local level or been elected to the office of state parliamentarian. These role models and leadership experiences have had a big impact on me as I have grown and taken on greater leadership roles and responsibilities. I feel like I can credit the development of my leadership skills to my participation in FBLA.”
A very active, four-year member of the club, Misiolek has taken part in local, regional, state and even national FBLA competitions, conferences, conventions and workshops. These experiences have improved her business, leadership and people skills while also giving her the opportunity to meet and talk with student and business leaders from across the country and to form lasting friendships. However, she states that some of her most rewarding activities have been service projects that allow her to give back to the community.
In addition to her leadership roles in FBLA, Misiolek is a member and past officer of her local Interact Club, is a class officer, has been a participant in the Grundy Youth Leadership program and serves on the Youth Leadership board.
Misiolek’s plan for the future is to become a chemical engineer. “Math and science are my bread and butter,” she said. “I love everything about them. I am excited to have been accepted into the honors program at Mississippi State University this fall. I think I would like to go into the pharmaceutical side of the field — developing medicines or medical equipment to provide help for people during times like we are going through now. After college, I would like the experience of living in a big city like Atlanta or Nashville for a while, but I would eventually like to come back home for the peace and serenity.”
SVEC is proud to honor this young leadership superhero.