2007 Gateway Young Achievers

Eureka girl wants career in sports, medicine

Gabrielle Herrick of Eureka wants a career in orthopedic medicine and maybe as a coach. So far, her accomplishments-and her broken bones-are giving her a good background.

Twelve-year-old Gabrielle is now in 7th grader at LaSalle Springs Middle School, after a summer filled with sports camps. Her soccer team attended a weeklong camp at Maryville University. "Our coach wanted us to bond together as a team," she said.

She also attended basketball and volleyball camps. And then the family traveled to see her brother, 15-year-old Josh, play baseball.

Gabrielle Herrick

Now, she's back in school attending all accelerated classes and getting involved in the new sports seasons. She's also taking up her spot in the Wildcat Ambassador program, where she helps new students get acquainted with the school.

Her varied accomplishments earned Gabrielle one of the ten 2007 Gateway Young Achiever of the year award. These awards are given to elementary, middle and high school students after a long interview process.

Young Achievers receive a $1,000 savings bond and a chance to compete in the national Young Achiever competition.

(Young Saint Louis.com has followed the YA program for several years. Each year, YSL.com announces the winners in its May edition. In following months, we publish individual profiles of the elementary and middle school winners.

(If you'd like to see previous coverage, click on Past Stories at the top of the home page. Then, visit the May, June, July and August and September editions. You also can visit previous years' coverage by clicking on the May edition of past years.)

Gabby's previous accomplishments also has gotten her a nomination to join Duke University's Talent Identification Program (TIP). The nomination earns her an opportunity to take the ACT test early.

She has earned 4.0 grade point averages for all five years in elementary school and her first year at LaSalle Middle School. She's also earned "top performer" awards for her flute playing in the school band.

She has band practice each day and then practices her flute at home on the weekends.

One of her more unusual awards last year involved her being named "Top Typer in Class" for her computer keyboard proficiency.

Gabby playing soccer

Her interest in sports began when she started playing soccer at age 3. In addition to playing several other sports, she was a 1st place winner in the 10-year-old division in Eureka's local NFL Punt Pass and Kick competition.

She was a 1st place winner in the Elks Club's district "hoop shoot" competition in 2005.

She'll be trying out soon for a spot on a "feeder team" that helps middle school kids get ready for playing basketball at Eureka High School.

But, it may have been her sports injuries that were most influential in her desire to be an orthopedic pediatrician.

"I've broken lots of bones. Probably the worst was a compound fracture in my hand," she said. (A fracture is labeled compound when the broken bone pierces the skin.) "It was pretty bad," she said.

"I want to help kids who have bone injuries," she said.

But, she'd also like to coach kids' teams. "Maybe I can be a doctor during the day and then coach teams afterwards," she said.

Gabrielle said she enjoys her time as a Hawkeye Ambassador because she gets to help students get familiar with their new school. "I gave a new student from Brazil a tour this year. They paired me with him because he was a soccer player," she said.

She plays for a select soccer team, the W.C. Arsenal, in the U-13 Class A division.

Gabby is a midfielder now but has played all over the field, "except for goalie," she said.

In school, she's won Science Fair awards in both elementary and middle school.

She's also had pieces of art selected for display at the Rockwood School District art shows for the last three years.

One of her favorites is her dog sculpture, which looks like the portrait of her basset hound, 7-year-old Abbey. The art piece is molded clay that has been coated and then fired in an art kiln.

Gabby also helps her mother, Michelle, when she works for Lutheran Senior Services at Hilltop Manor, a nearby home for the elderly.