For WHS junior Shannon Clark, WHS has been a place full of joyfulness and opportunity. Volleyball and journalism have played a huge role in her experience at the high school.

Clark shares that friendship for her is the commonality in both volleyball and journalism.

She states, “In volleyball, there are girls that have graduated that I still talk to. I am so fortunate to be a part of the program because there is a sense of community that is absolutely so genuine. And I am so fortunate for that. And with The Lobby O, we have a class of 10-11 kids and those kids have been with me for all of my years of journalism. So working with them every day has created such a great bond.”

Clark’s Volleyball Experience

From the age of 12, Clark has played on CMASS club teams, participated in rec clinics, as well as practicing setting in her driveway two hours a day during Covid-19. All to heighten her techniques, which paid off since she made the varsity team during her sophomore year.

Varsity volleyball Coach Anderson says, “She is fast both physically and mentally and that makes for a great combination as an athlete.”

Clark is able to adjust quickly which allows her to play every position on the court.

Coach Anderson shares “Shannon is a really versatile athlete. She has played pretty much every position on the court in volleyball.”

Her favorite moment on the high school court was when they played Algonquin last season.

Clark shares, “I loved the intensity of the [Algonquin] game. We had to quarantine before so we only got to play them once, so it was like a championship game. It was so intense.”

The varsity team ended up going to five sets and winning the fifth set 15-13 from a serve from Christine Li.

Clark says that she loved being a middle but her passion is to be a setter because she likes to set her hitters up for success.

While Clark states she did not want to commit to a single position for a long time, she decides to be a setter because setting allows her to do everything.

Clark’s fellow teammate Maggie Cardin, describes her as one of the kindest and most hardworking people she knows. Cardin emphasizes that she has never played with someone so willing to work as relentlessly and hard as she does.

She further shares, “I know tha

Clark is always looking at the positive side during games and even during practices. Her personal goal for this season is to help her teammates succeed as best as possible. She wants to be an asset on the court so her teammates know that they can always count on her. Her goal for the team is to play with joy and be as successful as possible during so.

Clark loves the game of volleyball and continues to be an active member of the Westborough High School volleyball team.

Clark’s Journalism Experience

Although Clark was initially reluctant to join The Lobby-O and even to take a journalism class, Clark has grown to love writing, especially political opinion pieces. This year she has earned the spot of Co-Editor in Chief of the online newspaper.

Clark comments, “Those [political opinion articles] are my favorite, especially when I am upset about something I research and then I go write. I think that’s one of my strengths.”

Clark shares that her favorite part of being a member of The Lobby O is the accomplishment felt by seeing her name being published. She has been published in The Lobby-O eight times throughout the last three years; and has enjoyed all of the experiences that were made possible to her through joining The Lobby Observer.

She expresses that junior year is a known hard year for academics and thanks her fellow co-editors in chiefs Brady Volin, Kiley Vallee, and Matt Willar for being understanding of her busy schedule and actively helping her work around it.

After high school, Clark doesn’t see herself giving up Journalism as it has been one of her favorite hobbies throughout her high school career.

Clark states, “I am not really sure, I definitely think I want to double major in political science and journalism when I go to college.”

Double majoring in political science and journalism would fit Clark’s interest well since she previously stated that her favorite writing pieces are political opinions.

Clark is well involved in making the best out of her volleyball and journalism experience and always remains positive throughout everything.

While Clark states that her family and coaches are her biggest inspirations because they push her to do the best she can; Shannon Clark is the one that inspires all of us through her hard work on and off the volleyball court and all the way to room C115.