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Spotlight on student: Shelby Hammerstein, East Garner Magnet Middle

By Sharron Gibson
Education Editor

East Garner Magnet Middle School student Shelby Hammerstein is described as a “well-rounded young lady” by teacher Kimberly Hite. By all accounts, this is a very accurate description of Shelby, who has a wide variety of interests and activities.

Shelby Hammerstein

As with most teenagers, school plays a big role in Shelby’s life. She recently graduated from EGMMS and will be attending Garner Magnet High School in August, where she hopes to get involved in clubs such as one for creative writing. After high school she tentatively plans on studying history and French, two of her favorite subjects.

Shelby cites her French teacher, Nicole Swanson, as having been most influential during her middle school years. “She has been a very good influence on me,” she said. “She’s just always smiley and happy and is a really good teacher.”

The respect is mutual. “She is an amazing kid,” Swanson said. “She has been a joy to have for the last two years. She is very smart, very outgoing, very willing to help others.”

Hite echoes that sentiment in her Spotlight letter to the Wake County School Board. “Shelby is a remarkable student whose leadership skills, creativity and intelligence have motivated and inspired the staff of teachers at East Garner Magnet Middle School,” she said. “When working in groups and problems arise, Shelby guides those involved to a compromise or decision.”

Jeff Hammerstein, Shelby’s father, said Shelby has received similar recognition since her years at Aversboro Elementary School for such traits.

“[Shelby's teachers] always knew that regardless of what the group was, they knew they could put Shelby with this group, and she would be a good influence on them,” Hammerstein said. “Of course, we are extremely proud.”

In addition to being an excellent student, Shelby has many interests. She has participated in several plays and enjoyed a workshop and performance with Garner Towne Players. She enjoys her art class at EGMMS and plays violin in the new strings program at the school. She enjoys writing and has been faithfully writing a journal for several years.

Inspired by Riverdance and Irish dancers in a St. Patrick’s Day parade, Shelby began taking Irish dance classes at Inis Cairde, a school whose name means “Island of Friends,” about eight years ago. She has performed with the school’s competitive groups and has even traveled to Ireland for competition.

Perhaps the most unexpected interest of this soft-spoken young lady is her love of go-kart racing. “My dad is actually from Indiana,” Shelby said. “He took me to my first race in 2005, and I really got into that.”

“When I took [Shelby and her older brother Neil] to the Indy 500, I was thinking my kids would enjoy going and watching the race; then both my kids came out wanting to drive,” Hammerstein said and laughed. “That wasn’t the idea.”

Shelby now races regularly at Rush Hour Karting and has raced endurance races in Charlotte. She has attended motorsports camp at Virginia International Raceway for several summers. This summer she will return to the Virginia camp for two weeks and then stay on as a volunteer for several additional weeks.

“She’s a cool kid,” said Letitia Hammerstein, Shelby’s mother. “We are pretty proud of her. She is doing OK right now.”

To which Shelby said, “It’s thanks to you.”

Related articles:

• Spotlight on Student: Chris Blount, Vandora Springs Elementary
• Spotlight on Student: Zayvon Powell, East Garner Year Round Elementary
• Spotlight on Student: Corbin Phillips, Rand Road Elementary

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