Danielle Lewis
Staff Writer
When asked to reminisce about her high school experience and what really mattered, Natalie Ross 16’ replied with, “My determination and motivation to get something done has allowed me to strive forward.” By just taking a peek into Natalie’s busy life, we can see that her motivation has taken her a long way.
Natalie fills her schedule with her passions. You can find her in the music room, playing the bass, which she picked up in 4th grade and has loved ever since. “[As a bassist,] it’s our job to keep the rhythm straight throughout the song while also adding dynamics and making it interesting.” As part of the jazz ensemble at Milken, Natalie worked hard in preparation for the Winter Ensembles Concert. She practiced all semester to master her part in “Milestones” by Miles Davis. “I have to move my fingers on the fretboard and pluck the string so quick…there are so many tiny muscles in your hand that you don’t appreciate.” In addition to bass, Natalie also sings in Kol Echad, leading the soprano 2 section. “I really like the team dynamic of Kol Echad, trying to help each other like a team and trying to sound like one voice.”
Natalie is not only a member of her choir team, but also on the Milken girl’s varsity water polo team, usually playing the set position in front of the goal. In the pool, she plays a strategic defense and an aggressive offense. “I hate being mean in general, but in the water it’s okay, it’s allowed.”
Academically, Natalie favors her AP Literature class, which she considers more of a philosophy course where she can explore “different theories of thought through different lenses.” She hopes to attend UCLA for college, where she feels at home. “Every time I picture myself on a campus, its UCLA.” In ten years from now, she sees herself having traveled to Europe, having gotten her master’s degree in nursing, and well on the road to becoming a nurse practitioner who specializes in surgery, orthopedics, or trauma.
In high school and beyond, Natalie’s life is filled with goals and aspirations, all of which she is able to reach due to her devotion. “I’ve done a lot in high school and I do have some regrets on taking on so much, but I realize now it has shaped me as a person.” She knows how to intertwine her skills with those of others in order to create a harmony, a team. “At the time of the winter concert, my endorphins were going and I was just like ‘Let’s do another round, let’s go again!’” Natalie’s passion and endurance has taken her this far, and will undoubtedly succeed in carrying her far in life after graduating from Milken.