Woodland senior spotlight: Madalyn Long
Meet Madalyn Long, a standout senior from Woodland with dreams of joining the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Learn about her inspirations, favorite memories, and advice for underclassmen.
Madalyn Grace Long was born on September 30, 2006, to parents Shaun and Jada Long. She has two siblings, Lilley and Lacey. Madalyn's favorite teacher is her CTC teacher, Mr. Stausing, because he has "filled me with the knowledge to help me excel in my future, given me several opportunities in the Law Enforcement world, and shown me how much an individual can impact the world."
One of Madalyn’s favorite quotes is from Mrs. Balzer: “I always knew you had it in you; I’m happy to see you now know you have it in you.”
If she had to describe herself in three words, she would choose boujee, independent, and compassionate. If Madalyn could travel anywhere in the world, she would go back to California because it "is my favorite place to be, and I love the West Coast." Her favorite school memory is winning the homecoming spirit stick her junior year. However, her most embarrassing high school moment was "when my car used to smoke in the parking lot, and everyone made a point to tell me as if I cared."
As a child, Madalyn wanted to be an interior designer when she grew up. After high school, she plans to attend Mineral Area College to earn a degree in Criminal Justice and later join the Missouri State Highway Patrol Academy.
Her advice to underclassmen is, “Get up and work for the dreams you have; don’t feel sorry for yourself.” Madalyn is extremely happy and excited to graduate and start working toward the future she has always dreamed of. What she will miss most about high school is attending the CTC Criminal Justice program.
Her greatest influence is her mom, who taught her the value of hard work. “As a little girl, I remember my mom coming home extremely overworked and still giving her all. She always proved to my sisters and me that hard work will take you places, even when you start from the bottom. The only thing getting you to the top is yourself, your passion, and hard work.” Madalyn feels her biggest accomplishment is graduating from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Youth Academy.
Shoutouts: Mom, Dad, Lilley, Lacey and Paige.
