By Seva May
When you are a 16-year-old Senior in high school faced with the daily distractions of typical high school activities and drama, it may seem a bit overwhelming and premature to know, let alone decide, precisely what you want out of life. Not true for Mollie Hamm of C.E. Byrd High School. She’s already narrowed down her college choices and knows, without a doubt, that she will be pursuing a degree that is in the realm of entertainment. Maybe even performance.
Mollie is no stranger to the stage and has appeared in numerous Byrd theatre productions since her sophomore year including Miss Scarlet in Clue, Mary Devon in Murder on the Orient Express, and Sophie in Mamma Mia. She’s in rehearsals for Puff (a parody of Harry Potter) where she has the role of the narrator. This year she was named the “Drama Mama” by her peers. This is a real “thing”, a positive thing. The title is passed down from year to year. Mollie was selected from a pool of other juniors. Qualifications are simple. “You must be very active in Drama Club and be somewhat maternal,” said Mollie. Her job as Drama Mama is to make new members feel welcome and every member feel safe and comfortable.
To participate in theater and the many school clubs she is a member of while maintaining a high GPA, Mollie knows a thing or two about self-management and interdependency. She possesses a quality that most adults work on long after graduation – a belief in herself. For example, last year and this year, Mollie has been a big asset to K-Byrd, a class that produces newscasts for the school. “I’m the executive producer of the weekly news here at Byrd. Every Thursday or Friday I help put it together and try to keep everyone focused,” said Mollie.
Mollie shared the names of some of her favorite teachers. “I love film. I’m a huge movie buff. The teacher, Mr. Gilchrist, was just as passionate about movies and he went in-depth with each film. I really appreciated that, and it really expanded my knowledge of film,” she explains. “Miss Smith, she’s been my English teacher for three years now, she’s my favorite teacher. She’s the sponsor for the Film Prize. She’s just a great mentor.” Last year’s entry won the Founder’s Circle Award and the Audience Choice Award.
One of Mollie’s favorite pastimes is driving around with her friends listening to music with the top down in her Beetle convertible, Babs. “And I love seeing movies with my friends, especially at the Robinson, anytime, anything showing we go, “said Mollie. “I just saw Fatal Attraction with my friend, Chloe, for the first time – that was so crazy.”
Mollie, who is the caboose in a long line of C.E. Byrd High School graduates is well on her way to making her senior year the best year it can be. Parents Callie and William Hamm, soon-to-be empty nesters, are sure to cherish this final year.
“I just feel very lucky to have such supportive parents.”
