Kimmi Weiss was able to meet Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer last year through the Aaron Price Fellows Program. The University City High volleyball captain says it was a “really scary” experience, but well worth it and one that stands out from the Fellows’ junior-year trip to Washington, D.C.
“I had to prepare my question in advance. I had to stand up, introduce myself, and ask my question,” relates the 5-feet-8-inches-tall outside hitter, who also excels in the high jump and long jump. “I think it was cool to meet this highly-ranked person, and he was just a regular person.”
Contrast this impression to Weiss’ awe-struck attitude toward seniors at UCHS when she entered as a ninth-grader three years ago. “I don’t feel like a senior,” she says happily. “When I was a freshman, seniors seemed older and mature.”
Her enjoyment of her senior year comes amid duties of being one of Coach Amanda Wiggins’ four captains on the volleyball team, continuing in the Aaron Price program, which is a four-year commitment she made her first year in high school, and a stellar 4.6 grade-point average carrying three Advanced Placement classes—not to mention her 5-feet-3-inches-tall high-jumping and 16-feet-11-inches long-jumping workouts come next spring.
Kimmi serves as ASB Vice President, and her friend Sammie Staples is right next to her with the gavel as student body president. “We joined ASB together last year just for fun. We really enjoyed it. So we decided to ‘go big or go home’,” she says with a smile. “We made an agreement that she’d run for President and I’d run for vice president.”
The experience continues to be an enjoyable one, and Weiss says she’s keeping the balance that some seniors don’t manage of having fun while maintaining her studies. With the support of mom Nancy and dad Jerry, and her older brother Steven, who is a sophomore at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the multi-sport athlete is tackling AP Calculus and AP Physics, which are full-year courses, and AP Government, which is semester-long.
“When I went to Washington, D.C. [and met Justice Breyer], I didn’t know much about government,” she confesses. “But now taking government, I’m learning more about it.”
Her stance in life right now seems to be in remaining teachable, with eyes wide open, while serving as a model to the younger players on the varsity volleyball team, as well as the JV and freshman players.
“We have a big team, 16 players (nine non-seniors). I hope they look up to me in some way,” she says. “On the court, I try to be a model, being as positive as I can.”
The Centurion volleyball team has stepped up to a special challenge this year in moving from Division II to Division I in Wiggins’ second year as head coach. “We have the skills to rise up, but we’re going to have to fight in every game,” says the senior captain.
Weiss had 45 kills in the Centurions’ first eight games, second only to teammate Nadia Merkel with 59. On defense, Kimmi had 62 digs, second on the team to Rachel Gonsalves with 75.
