Melanie Pugh, 17, raises the bar for success at Washington Township High School.
A senior, she is making her mark in academics with a 4.0 grade point average and in athletics setting school records for pole vaulting. The daughter of Geoffrey and Esther Pugh of Valparaiso is currently ranked number one in her class with a 4.07 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and is a member of National Honor Society. A National Merit Finalist, one of four from Washington Township High School in the past 25 years to earn the designation, she is taking Advanced Placement calculus and statistics along with a dual credit English class.
Pugh is active in student council, Key Club, a group affiliated with Kiwanis Club, and FCCLA, Family Career Community Leaders of America. She is involved with the science team and the math team, last year they placed fifth in state.
Sports have always been an interest for Pugh who aptly juggles four programs at Washington Township. She is a four-year basketball player with three varsity athletic letters. She was captain this year and earned the James W. Dold Mental Attitude Award for Porter County Conference for girls basketball. She also plays varsity soccer, was captain this year and received the mental attitude award last year.
A runner, she's earned two varsity cross country athletic letters and this year's mental attitude award. She also has been part of the track and field team throughout her high school years earning this year's mental attitude award. She competes in the 4-by-100 and 4-by-4 meter dash along with the 300-hurdles and pole vault; she holds the school record at 9-feet, 1-inch.
Her love for sports is leading her to a career in physical therapy. "I've always been interested in sports and wanted to do something with that and I love kids," she said. Pugh said helping her dad with exercises given to him by physical therapy while recovering from a skiing accident influenced her decision. "He came home with a list of exercises to do and I liked helping him," she remembered.
Pugh has applied to a number of colleges including University of Indianapolis, Bradley University, Marquette University and Central Michigan University.
