Young Achiever profile

Katherine Bayer is linked to Alaskan village

Last month, 14-year-old Katherine Bayer of Oakville was awaiting word from a group of church members who were to return from an Alaskan mission trip. They were visiting the tiny village of Hooper Bay near the Arctic Circle.

Katherine had raised money for kid's book bags and also sewed 45 denim purses for residents in the village. The members from Peace Lutheran Church of Mehlville took along her gifts when they made their summer mission visit.

Katherine Bayer

Katherine said, "A big part of my life revolves around community service. And a lot of that revolves around the Alaska Mission."

Winners of the Gateway Young Achievers awards are students who have good records in academics, extra-curricular activities and service to various community and church programs.

Katherine was one of ten 2008 Gateway Young Achievers. Winners each receive a $1,000 savings bond and are entered in the national Young Achiever competition.

(For several years, Young Saint Louis.com has covered kids who earn the Gateway Young Achievers award. After each year's winners are announced in May, YSL.com then profiles each of the elementary and middle school winners.

(For past stories in 2008, go to Past Stories and click on the May, June and July editions. The 2008 profiles will continue the rest of this year.)

The money for the children's book bags came from proceeds of a Hat Day last spring at Katherine's school, Oakville Middle in the Mehlville School District.

Katherine on bake sale to raise funds for Alaskan mission

Katherine got permission from school administrators for the Hat Day. Then, she created posters and made intercom announcements that publicized the event. Kids at the school bought tickets for $1 and then got to wear any "sort of funky hats they wanted," she said.

Another part of her contributions to the mission trip was 45 hand-sewn denim purses for kids. The bags were made out of old denim jeans and Katherine did the sewing.

"I took the back pockets off the jeans and then took a long strip of denim from a leg to make the handle," she said.

Although she is a Catholic, Katherine and her family have worked with Peace Lutheran members on the Alaska Mission for several years.

When one of the past mission teams came back, they brought back a bunch of "smiley face" drawings for Katherine.

She said she hasn't been a member of the mission team that travels to Alaska as yet. "But, I want to be," she said.

In school, Katherine has earned straight-A report cards and participates in many school programs.

She is a member of the "Stretch" gifted program since third grade. In the past school year, she said the kids studied the Holocaust and World War II. "We read the 'Diary of Anne Frank' and we had a visit from a Holocaust survivor," she said.

Katherine will be entering Oakville High School in the fall and is already involved in some advanced classes.

"I'll be taking enrichment English and have to read two books this summer before school starts," she said. The books are "Their Eyes Watching God," by Zora Neale Hurston and "The Natural," by Bernard Malamud.

"I'll be taking a lot of advanced classes and expect to have a lot of homework," she said.

She's also been accepted into the Oakville High marching band. She was "first flute" in both the concert and symphonic bands at Oakville Middle. The bands held two concerts a year and each took a music trip out of state.

"I've played the flute since sixth grade," she said. "I haven't taken any private lessons and did all my work with the school bands," she added.

She also was a member of the Seraphim Singers at her home church, Queen of All Saints.

Asked about continuing in choir, Katherine said there's going to be a conflict between practicing for high school band and the choir. The practices don't overlap but "if I go to both, I won't have any time for homework on Mondays," she said.

Several of the activities and honors she's received involve community service.

For instance, she has been awarded the Award of Distinction by the Kiwanis Club on two occasions. That award requires 50 hours of community service.

She was also confirmed last spring at her home church. One of the requirements was 20 hours of service. For that, she assisted with Vacation Bible School.

She did that again this summer as a group leaders for 2nd grade kids.

Her activities in sports have centered on her CYC soccer club. Two years ago, her team captured a division championship. "But, we didn't make the playoffs this year," she said.

She's been playing soccer since 2nd grade. She said she's going to continue with CYC soccer rather than try out of the high school team.

Another of her activities is dance. She's taken lessons at the Gibby's on Broadway studio for 10 years. The studio offers ballet, tap and jazz dance lessons.

Katherine said she likes ballet best. "It's complicated. You have to be still and also graceful," she said.

She said she plans to go to school at Maryville University to train for a position in the health field. "I'll be either a nurse or a pediatrician," she said.