Personal Statement
My name is Sevrine Porritt, and I am 15 years old and in the 10th grade. I have been running since the age of 4 and ran my first 5K at the age of 6. I have loved running for a long time, and learned to appreciate it a lot more over the last few years. At the beginning of my 7th grade cross country season, I broke my toe, which ended up needing surgery. Sitting out all but 4 weeks of the season humbled me, and gave me a greater appreciation for running, and the part it plays in my life. Over the last 18 months I grew almost 4 inches and was humbled again by pain and injury. Two more inches and a move across country have been a huge blessing. Running has kept me active and social, even during a pandemic, and has given me a support system. Despite the challenges, running has been my constant, something that I can take with me wherever I go. I've continued to push past the challenges and have been working hard to regain the fitness level that I had prior to my surgery and following growth spurt. I'm not where I want to be just yet, but I strive every day to improve and learn.
I have taken on the same philosophy in school as I found in running, and am learning that I can push myself harder than I thought I could. I have had to overcome challenges academically because of my ADHD, but know that when I put forth the effort, I can be proud of myself, and my grades are the evidence of that effort.
I was very blessed to be a part of the San Antonio Homeschool Cross Country and Track program my Freshman year, because I was surrounded by teammates and coaches that care about each and every athlete. We were a family that pushed and encouraged each other, and strived to build self-respect, character and integrity. I am trying to bring a little of that culture with me to Ohio, and I hope to find a similar environment in a college team. As a teammate, I want to help push and encourage my teammates to go after their goals, and to know that they can push themselves further than they think they are capable. I know that I have a ton to learn and strive to be teachable and open to instruction and correction. I really can’t wait to see where running takes me.
