When transferring schools, one typically has a hard time fitting in or finding the right crowd. It takes time to come out of your shell and grow into the person you want to be, especially during your time in high school. For Hannah Skinner, however, not only were the changes from her previous school to Arkansas High School abrupt, but they were necessary.
At Hannah’s last school, she was not an involved student. She was not part of any after-school programs, did not take care of her studies, and was a more reserved person overall. When she transferred to Arkansas High for her freshman year, she only knew one person on campus, who introduced her to the Arkansas High tennis team.
“Freshman year, they had afternoon practices for people who wanted to join,” Hannah explained. “And so I went just to try it out, and figured I was going to embarrass myself.” While she admits her initial practice was humbling, Hannah found an interest in the sport from then on.
Hannah knew that to be a successful athlete, she would need to go above and beyond her limits. In addition to the regular practices with the team, Hannah began taking after-school lessons with a private coach every other week during her sophomore year. In her junior year, she went to once-a-week private lessons. Through these practices and the extra time spent, she was able to become the second-place Varsity Singles player for the season.
“It got me to develop techniques, especially my mental techniques,” she said. “My coach taught me how to manage my emotions on the court and not let them affect my game.”
Her mentality shifted in relation to the game of tennis. It taught her to be more accountable and calm-spirited, and to take care of what’s important to her. This shift has also been present in the classroom. Not only is Hannah currently enrolled in six Advanced Placement classes, which allow students to get early college credit, but is also on track to be one of the top 10 in the Class of 2026 academically.
Hannah has been pushing herself in all her classes since her freshman year, taking a total of 14 AP classes over four years and consistently earning an A in every course. Arkansas High has acknowledged Hannah’s successes and nominated her to be one of three delegates at Arkansas Girls State this past May at Harding University. The week at Girls State allowed Hannah and her fellow delegates to learn about the political process through electing officials in a mock government.
This pursuit of academic success does come with its limits, though, as Hannah has faced significant burnout over the past four years. She typically combats this stress with a planner, in addition to encouraging herself to find time to be busy and to debrief.
“I push through because I know I’ll have those moments where I just get to sit,” she explained. “Sometimes I just sit and I let myself cry. I let myself feel when I’m burnt out and I make time to clear my head.”
Last May, Hannah took the tests for both AP Chemistry and Government on the same day, with Chemistry lasting four hours to complete and Government taking two and a half hours. Chemistry is also considered one of the most difficult AP tests to pass. Despite her exhaustion, Hannah passed both tests, in addition to her other AP exams, last year.
Through whatever academic struggles were put in front of her, Hannah has consistently overcome them. Now, near the end of the road, she is currently on track to become Arkansas High School’s valedictorian or salutatorian. She has been competing for this since her sophomore year in a friendly competition against fellow student and varsity player Jacob Dupree. “We’ll be dead even,’ she said. “It’s going to come down to decimal places. This year is where I have to be the most focused and give my best performance in everything I do.”
While being valedictorian is a massive accomplishment, Hannah already has one title under her belt as the official president for the Arkansas High School Student Council.
The student council was the one thing she wanted to be a part of at her previous school, but never managed to join. During her freshman year at Arkansas High, she was able to join instantly and become an active part of the group. Since then, her activity with the group has only grown. Part of the responsibilities of the president include communication with sponsors and projects, holding the council and herself accountable, representing the entire student body, and much more. Yet, through the community of the AHS StuCo, Hannah has been able to relax more than most would think. “As president, I don’t have as many responsibilities as people would expect me to,” she said. “That’s the council part of student council.”
Despite her initial disinterest in school, Hannah has grown into one of the most studious and outspoken individuals on campus during her time at Arkansas High, reflecting her goals for a future career in politics. Hannah has had this dream for many years, and attending Arkansas Girls State only fueled her passion. Her ultimate goal is to work her way up and get a seat in the United States Senate for Arkansas. Hannah has already achieved a significant accomplishment in politics, having served as a 2024-2025 Arkansas Congressional Youth Cabinet member and collaborating on a bill with Senator John Boozman. Once Hannah graduates, her current plan is to study business with a focus in financial analytics next fall at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
Despite all of her ambitions, with varsity tennis, student council, valedictorian, and a future as an Arkansas representative, Hannah remains humble as her time in high school comes to an end. “Respect your teachers because they are sometimes the only people who genuinely believe in you,” she remarked. “Remember the people who push you to do your best, the people who always want to see you succeed.”
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