Standout Student: Danielle Collins serves as mentor and helper to local youth

WEBSTER PARISH, La.– With strong faith and a tight-knit community, a young woman in Doyline is making her community and family proud. Meet this week’s Standout Student.

Danielle Collins grew up in Doyline and said she loves her hometown.

“Doyline is a very small school so we’re very close and we’re a well-knit community that works hard together,” Collins said.

She’s a straight ‘A’ student, with a 4.0 GPA. She’s busy too. She’s a cheerleader and dancer, on the yearbook staff, FBLA, soon to join the National Honor Society.

“You name it, I’m in it,” Collins said.

She’s also a part of the school’s Quiz Bowl.

“Quiz Bowl is an academic competition team. It’s pretty much Jeopardy for high-schoolers,” Collins said.

She’s spending her summer working as a staff intern at Camp Harris Baptist Assembly in Minden. She does a lot there including running the snack shop and mentoring the youth.

“I help kids with meal preps and their snack shops, and keeping the grounds clean, and I help run the shooting range. I love working here. It’s a great experience to be here and reach the kids and them what the love of Christ can really do,” Collins said.

The camp’s director said Danielle is a positive influence for the kids and is a huge help.

“With amazing references and already knowing her, I thought she was a great fit. But she’s gone even beyond that. She’s been a tremendous help to our camp. She doesn’t just help out with kitchen or snack shop. She helps out everywhere. She helps back up our summer staffers and whatever they need,” said Shawn Kaffka, Camp Director at Harris Baptist Assembly.

He also has Danielle helping run their shooting sports program because she’s a shooting sports ambassador through the Webster Parish 4H and organizes statewide events.

“I shoot 22 rifles, 22 air rifle, and Genesis Archery. For the 4H programs in Louisiana, I help organize events and design T-shirts and stuff like that,” Collins said.

She said one of her favorite hobbies is reading and wants to make it her career.

“My favorite subject is probably English. I love to read and I plan on pursuing an English Lit major and becoming a commissioning editor.”

“I’ve always loved to read. It was always something for me. When kids were playing outside, I was inside reading books. But this past year, I met my favorite English teacher, Mrs. Megan Pierce. She just really opened my eyes to the opportunities that English can give to you in the future. It’s not just reading books or writing papers. You can really pursue it as a career. She really touched my heart with that.”

She’ll be a junior this year and is already thinking about college.

“My dream school is NYU in New York City but in-state, I would love to attend ULL,” she said.

In the meantime, she’s working hard at school and in her community. Something that does not go unnoticed.

“She’s such a standout student. Even though she stands out in these things, she is always about helping others,” Kaffka said.

Danielle says one of the reasons she also loves working at the camp is because she can connect with the young children and be someone they can talk to and offer them support.

“You have kids who come up to you and reach out to you and just want to know that everything is going to be okay. That’s what we do. We confirm that everything is going to be great and they’re going to get through it,” Collins said.

She’s a leader with a bright future ahead. Making her town proud, we’re also proud to say Danielle Collins our Standout Student.

If you have a student you would like to nominate you can fill out the form here.

Source: ArkLaTex News