SIOUX FALLS – Tristan Jensen is a senior with a 4.0 GPA at Woonsocket School District taking college-level classes.

“I’ve known Tristan since she was in seventh and eighth grade, I’ve coached her in volleyball and basketball and I’ve been her teacher for the last five years, she is very good. She works hard and studies. She is very good at helping other students, she is one of the top,” said Woonsocket School District Math Teacher Dayna Rodriguez.

She enjoys volunteering, donating blood, and serving meals for banquets and churches.

“My family has always pushed me, my friends push me, my teachers push me, through all the sports, through all the communities I’ve been involved in. It has just really pushed me to keep going and get good grades and be successful in whatever I do,” said Tristan.

Tristan is passionate about helping the elementary staff in her free time working with younger students.

“She always goes above and beyond, she actually babysits my kids all the time too. So she definitely is up there. She’s an excellent person to be around in terms of school, an athlete like I say, she babysits my kids, she helps out any of us teachers if we need anything, she is definitely one that goes above and beyond to help anybody in the community,” said Rodriguez.

She plans to go to Mitchell Tech for Nursing.

“I love to help people in general, as you can see, in the classroom, I really do enjoy helping them, making sure they succeed and feel comfortable and feel cared for and that’s what I want to do to other people in the world,” said Tristan.

Tristan will receive a $250 scholarship from Central Electric Cooperative which is a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.

…See a picture in this week’s issue of the Sanborn Weekly Journal!