“This is my choir right now!” said Becky Moore as she gathered together the students of concert choir at the start of class. Moore led them in breathing exercises, (“We’re gonna do the zinga zinga zoo right!”), and then doled out solos to the class, helping the soloists sing out if they started to laugh in the break of silence.

Guiding choir is just one of the many times during Moore’s day that she is a leader among the students of South. Whether its singing in the choir, in a game of soccer, or in rehearsals for the musical, Moore has a special skill of demonstrating the right thing to do.

She is this year’s winner of the Athena award, presented for outstanding leadership in athletics, as well as in academics and extracurricular activities.  The Athena award organization from Minneapolis is in its 43rd year of giving recognition to exceptional female athletes.

“It just shows that they see something in me that I probably didn’t see in myself,” said Moore on receiving the award. She is the first recipient with a disability to win the Athena award, something she believes is significant in the image of the school. “I’m proud of the people who are disabled, and it shows that disabled people can work ten times as hard as someone who has legs, or who is able to move faster,” Moore continued.

Moore’s teammates Hanna Bolstrom and Noah Novacek play defense for South’s adapted soccer team, while Moore plays as goalie. Bolstrom and Novacek have been friends since 6th grade, relying on each other’s company, but were lost until they met Moore at South.

“In our other school, we used to be alone and we didn’t have anyone to talk to, so it was hard for us to talk to new friends,” Bolstrom said. However, their days at school changed when Moore introduced herself to them. Bolstrom brightened up when I mentioned Moore, and described how their friendship has improved her life.

“I think Becky is a good role model. If somebody’s new, she goes right up and introduces herself,” Bolstrom reflected.“Becky is patient, and she gets Noah to speak up. I’m really excited for Becky to be here because we didn’t know anybody here. It was really good that she spoke up and started to be our friends,” she continued.

South’s adapted soccer team has been hugely successful over the years that Moore’s been on the team, making it to state twice in a row, this year and last year. A lot of their success is credited to Moore’s force as goalie. She has been captain both years she’s been on the team, and holds two MVP awards.

Moore started playing sports her freshman year just for fun, brought in by other friends that wanted her to be on the team. She started with playing adapted hockey, bowling, and softball, and then went on to play soccer her junior year.

Moore has noticed many benefits to being involved with athletics. “Sports helped me to be disciplined, and helped me to pay attention and focus,” she said. “My grades were a big deal to me, and me trying to be on sports. I had to make sure I take care of my grades. I realized, now that I’m not doing a sport, my grades kind of go down.”

Moore’s coaches have been very pleased with having Moore on their team, because she guides the players so well. “She recognizes in herself what it takes to be a leader of a team, as well as recognizes that those important qualities either are or are not present in a fellow athlete.” said coach Jacqueline Pennaz.

“I am always amazed by what she is capable of doing. She can do so much, and she knows it. I have had to push her a bit here and there, but overall I feel very lucky to be her coach,” Pennaz continued.

Many teammates look to Moore as a role model because of her demonstrative leadership and her friendly manner. It has gotten to the extent that teammates will want to do a sport depending on whether Becky is participating or not.

Moore also found communities in music and theater, describing the people on the Wiz as like “another family”. Singing is a big part of Moore’s life, and she includes two different choir classes in her schedule. “I’m very disciplined, I’m always on time, I try to show them the right way to do things, not the wrong way,” Moore said about leading concert choir.

When asked what she wants her lasting influence on South High School to be, Moore gave a compelling answer. “I want them to know that, if she can do it, if a girl with no legs and part of her hand’s gone, if she can do anything, the next person can definitely do it. I want people to feel like they can do anything if they put their minds to it.”