Tall, athletic and exceptionally bright, Montezuma-Cortez High School senior Amanda Haukeness epitomizes what it means to be a student athlete.
A talented individual who has competed in cross country, swimming and tennis during her high school career, Haukeness has accomplished much while wearing a Panthers uniform.
Among her most impressive athletic accomplishments to date was an 11th-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle and a 16th-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke at last year’s Western Slope Conference Championships.
“I’d like to beat my personal best time in the 500 (freestyle) and break 30 seconds in the 50 (freestyle),” said Haukeness of her goals for the upcoming swim season.
In addition to Haukeness’ athletic accomplishments, the senior excels in the classroom where she lists Fire Science as her favorite class.
Currently employed as a volunteer firefighter for the Cortez fire department, Haukeness carries a pager and is always ready to respond to a call if the need arises.
“I’m on call whenever they need extra help,” said Haukeness.
As for her plans after high school, Haukeness is planning to study fire science in either Farmington or Denver in preparation for a full-time firefighting career.
Swimming through water today and likely spraying water from fire trucks in the near future, Haukeness has distinguished herself as one of Montezuma-Cortez High School’s brightest stars.