First in a series

O'Fallon, Ill., kid earns 2003 Achiever award

Kristen Delia

Right now, 11-year-old Kristen Delia of O'Fallon, Ill., excels in lots of things she does in school, church and community. But, she sees a time when she'll have to "make choices" on what to focus on in the future.

Last month, the St. Clare Catholic School 6th grader's past and current accomplishments earned her one of the 2003 Gateway Young Achievers of the Year awards.

Four area elementary, four middle and four high school kids were awarded the top 2003 Achiever medals. In addition to a medal, the awards also carry a $1,000 scholarship.

There were hundreds of nominees from throughout the St. Louis area.

(This is first in Young Saint Louis.com's series of individual profiles on the four elementary and four middle school Achievers for 2003. To see an earlier story announcing the winners, just click here.)

Kristen's accomplishments included inclusion on her school's high honor roll. She's maintained nearly perfect grades throughout her years at St. Clare. Recently, she was elected to the school's Honor Society.

She also serves as a committee chairman on this year's student council. In May, she won election as class vice-president for the 7th grade class next year.

In 2002, she earned a first place in the Belleville Area Science Fair. Also, last year, she had the highest score at her school's National Social Studies Olympiad.

In sports, she won 1st prize in floor exercise in the 2002 Illinois' Level 5 gymnastic competition. Earlier this year, she was first in all-around exercise in a Level 6 regional competition in Quincy, Ill. She's on the Midwest Twisters gymnastics team in O'Fallon.

The team travels to meets as far away as Chicago, Indianapolis and Springfield, Mo.

Kristen said the opportunity to compete in out-of-town meets is "awesome." It's particularly fun because one of her younger sisters, Megan, also is on the team and the whole family travels to the meets.

She said her favorite exercises in gymnastics are the beam and the vault. She admits the beam "can be scary at certain times." However, she said she hasn't had any serious falls from the elevated apparatus. "But, I've had friends who have," she added.

Also, she runs in two sprints and two relay races for her school's track team. She's been on the school's soccer team ever since first grade.

She's also served on school committees that raised funds for area charities. One she especially enjoyed was the "No Uniform Day" fund-raiser to raise money for St. Louis Children's Hospital. Kids donated money for the chance not to have to wear school uniforms for a day.

Kristen said, "With the money, we bought 'sweats' for kids at Children's Hospital so they'd have new clothes to wear when they left the hospital."

She's already met many of her own short-term goals such as being nominated for Honor Society and attaining a state title as a gymnast.

Longer term, she wants to be valedictorian of her high school class, earn a college scholarship and be on the high school student council. Then, she wants to earn both a bachelor's and master's degree in education.

"I'm thinking about being a first grade teacher," she said.

But, as the expectations increase and goals get tougher, so do the demands on her time.

Kristen is now on a 16-hour-per-week practice schedule as she tries to advance to Level 7 in gymnastics. This summer, that will go to 18-hours-per week.

Asked about her gymnastics future, she said she doesn't think she'll get too big. Right now, she's about 4'8" tall and weighs under 80 pounds. She said her mother is only slightly over 5' tall.

"And I can eat a ton but then go to the gym and work it off," she said.

But, she said the practice requirement is sure to continue to go up if she hopes to improve. And sports are just one of the things she wants to improve on.

"You can't do everything. You have to make choices," Kristen said.

Just what choices she'll make in the future are still uncertain. But, for now, Kristen says she looks forward to every day and "we've got lots of things to do all the time."