Bridgette Kathleen Larsen

Related articles:

Student of the week

Health Care
Rio Salado College
PA's/Online Instructors General
CORT
WAREHOUSE/DRIVER Education
Assessment Technology, Inc
Social Studies Content Writer Construction
Komatsu Equipment Co
Mechanic General
CORT
Warehouse Supervisor

Age: 16

Parents: Nadia and Peter Larsen

Inside the classroom: Ever since first grade, Larsen has been very disciplined, her mother said. When she arrives home from school, she does her homework immediately.

Her grades are all A's and B's, Bridgette Larsen said. "I manage to keep my grades up. I don't know how," she said, displaying her characteristic sense of modesty and humility.

"She is very quiet and polite, and she has a maturity that others her age don't have," explained Kathy Lackow, her intermediate algebra teacher.

"Her attention to detail is very evident in her homework. It is always very clear and thorough. … Classmates like working with her because she not only understands the material, but she can explain it so others can understand it as well."

Outside the classroom: From the runway to the track to the wrestling mat, Larsen is active outside the classroom.

A graduate of the Barbizon Modeling Center, Larsen recently modeled at the graduation fashion show for Tucson Design College.

For two years, she's run on Sabino's varsity track team. Her events are the 100, 200, 4X100 and 4X400 meter races.

And she's also the only girl on the school's wrestling team.

On wrestling: On Feb. 17, Larsen is scheduled to wrestle in the state girls' championship.

"I think that's where she's going to shine," coach Rich Ortiz said.

Larsen was one of three girls who went out for wrestling, though she's the only one still doing it. The boys responded "pretty good" when they found out they'd have a female teammate, Ortiz said. The young men were supportive without cutting her any slack.

"It's disrespectful if you take it easy on them," Ortiz said. "I told the girls 'I'm not going to coddle you, I'm not going to treat you any different.' "

With a 4-2 record, Larsen has yet to wrestle another girl.

Her mother said Larsen got into wrestling after completing a self-defense class for women.

"She said, 'I want to show the boys I'm just as good, if not better than them,' " Nadia Larsen said.

Her daughter is much more nonchalant. "I just wanted to try something new," she said. "I wanted to see if I could do it."

Favorite class: "I really like math. I'm really good at math," Larsen said.

College plans: Larsen said she's thinking about attending the University of Arizona and will either major in business or engineering. She hasn't decided if she wants to continue with athletics at the collegiate level.

Sound bite: "Whenever I tell people about my daughter, they always say 'Wow, what a contrast — modeling and wrestling,' " Nadia Larsen said.