It’s a “hey pal” or a “hi friend” that makes her who she is.

She’s known by name but even more by voice throughout the school.

Senior Cortney Wood is known personally by all of the administration and most of the staff. She has such a great personality that they always have good things to say about her.

“I just think that Cortney is such a great mentor, especially when I see her work with the kids in journalism,” Assistant Principal TiAda Radtke said. “She helps students understand where their strengths and weaknesses are in writing in a constructive and positive way.”

Radtke said personality is what helps Cortney in her leadership skills.

“She’s always very cheery and it’s never a hit-and-miss type of thing,” she said. “It’s also just the way she interacts with other people and can make them feel like they are the only person in the world.”

While she is known by the administration, the teachers also always have positive things to say.

“Her personality is what is different than my other students,” AP Enviormental science teacher Joshua Nielsen said. “She just brings in a lot of humor and it’s what I look forward to in seventh period.”

While she’s always cheery and humorous, she still takes her education seriously.

“Her dedication to what she does is incredible,” he said. “She wants to get her work done. Even if we have a free couple of minutes it’s ‘hey Nielsen can I go to the newsroom’. She’s not only dedicated to my class she is also dedicated to what she loves to do, which is journalism.”

Not only is she co-editor of the Chronicle and dedicated to her classes, Cortney is also very active in the softball program. She’s been in the program since her freshman year.

“She’s the biggest supporter and the biggest cheerleader in the dugout,” Coach Alisha Crouch said. “She brightens my day, every day. Every time you see Cortney you can’t be in a bad mood, she’s the sweetest kid I have ever met.”

She has also been a part of PALs organization since her junior year. She’s one of the vice presidents and keeps PAL sponsor Pamela Brown very organized.

“She helps organize the door decoration contest and she keeps things under control,” Brown said. “She is not only good with her peers, but she’s great with kids. She’s just great.”

She isn’t just another kid in the program Brown said, she’s something different.

“Cortney’s a very positive person,” she said. “You rarely see her look at something in a negative way. She always has an uplifting positive attitude and it helps keep everyone else positive. That’s something amazing to have when you have 54 other PALs in the program.”

Being a PAL isn’t the job for everyone, but it’s the perfect job for Cortney, especially because she’s always upbeat.

“She is just so patient with everyone but especially kids, and she always has this bright sunny disposition that not just kids are drawn to, but everyone is drawn to,” she said. “She doesn’t make anyone feel threatened and she makes people feel comfortable.”