Every two weeks, the Patriot will randomly pick a student from the directory, find out more about his or her life, and prove that every student has a story.

Sophomore Karly Horn is certainly emulating one of “Bye, Bye, Birdie’s” popular songs, “Put on a Happy Face,” by choreographing her old middle school’s production of “Bye, Bye, Birdie.” Making children smile and enjoying all of the things she did when she was at St. James Academy is something Horn loves to do.

Choreographing her middle and elementary schools’ shows was second nature to Horn, as she has been dancing all of her life. “I started dancing when I was really little and then did gymnastics for a couple years, then went back to dancing at Upper Falls Dance Academy from about the third grade to the beginning of this year,” Horn said. “Now I just take a class at the John Carroll studio, but the shows keep me plenty busy as well.”

Horn still makes time to work with the students from St. James Academy because “it is really great to see them come out on stage and do a great job in the end when you see the final product or when a kid finally gets that one dance step that they couldn’t get before,” Horn said.

According to Horn, it’s not always easy for her to teach elementary and middle school students choreography. “I think the biggest challenge is teaching people, especially people much younger than you who don’t know how to do things that now seem simple to you,” Horn said.

Horn has not only choreographed shows for her middle and elementary schools, but also helps at children’s summer camps, such as Beachmont, a Christian camp in Baltimore County, and Dulaney  Day Camp. “I love volunteering at Beachmont. The junior counselors were always my biggest role models growing up when I attended the camp,” Horn said.

Horn definitely wants to continue volunteering at St. James, Beachmont, and Dulaney Day Camp. “When I used to be in the shows in middle school, I remember really looking up to alumni of St. James who occasionally came back to help, now it is great to come back and know that I might be a role model in some small way,” Horn said.

Ashley Beyer is a Lifestyles Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.