Junior Lauryn Waters poses for a photo with her brother, mother and father. Lauryn is very close with her family and says they offer support for her at home and at school. “My family has been such a support system for me so like anytime I’m struggling with something or any questions that I have I know I can just go to my parents or my brother or just my family in general,” Waters said.
Update: The ODYSSEY Media Group will provide viewers with weekly stylized profiles that center on people in the Athens community telling their own stories.
By LUCIA BERMUDEZ – Print Variety Editor
No matter what the situation, Clarke Central junior Lauryn Waters does everything with the guidance and support of her family.
She was born in Greenville, South Carolina and raised in Athens. She attended Cleveland Road Elementary School, where she met some of her longtime friends, Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, where she discovered her passion for volleyball and is now a junior at Clarke Central, where she lives out her love for Spanish and math.
However, what Lauryn Waters holds dearest is not the experiences she’s had over her 16 years of life, but the people that have been there with her every step of the way: her family.
Lauryn has grown up with her father Harold Waters, mother Kara Waters and younger brother Trey Waters. Her father is the Alumni Development Director at the University of Georgia’s School of Social Work, her mother is a cosmetologist and a recording artist and Lauryn’s 13-year-old brother is in eighth grade at Clarke Middle School.
From church on Sundays to mission trips in the Dominican Republic, Lauryn and her family all bond and relate through their Christian faith.
“Putting God first is super important and drives every decision that (my family) makes, and we try to put Him first in everything,” Lauryn said.
Lauryn’s mother sings at Athens Church, and Lauryn along with her family all actively try to spread the love they find in their faith.
Along with practicing her faith with her parents and brother, Lauryn enjoys spending time with her extended family. They spend the holidays with her grandparents in Atlanta and Athens, and always celebrate birthdays with a family dinner.
Lauryn’s family also support her academically and encourage her to do what she is passionate about.
“Education is important in my family, but they want me to make sure I’m focusing on what I’m supposed to be doing instead of just thinking college is the only thing,” Waters said. “College is definitely important but (they want me to) focus on the overall aspects of life instead of just one goal.”
Though she may not know what is in store for her future, she knows one thing is certain; her family will be there with her no matter what.
