Webb City junior Addie Burns has built her high school experience around competition, classroom success and a deep appreciation for the people who support her. A standout in both basketball and softball, she said she is most proud of earning academic all-state honors.

Burns said sports have shaped her far beyond wins and losses. “My sport has taught me to fight through adversity, work with a team, and work hard in everything I do,” she said. That mindset shows up in how she approaches practices, games and school, always trying to outwork the person she was yesterday.

In the classroom, Burns points to her high school foods teacher, Mrs. Hunt, as a key influence. “She has always been positive and supportive of all of her students,” Burns said, noting that Hunt’s encouragement has made a lasting impact on her confidence.

Teammates have been just as important. Burns singled out Whitlee as the teammate who has left the biggest impression on her. “She has hard work and dedication to not only her craft, but also her team,” Burns said, adding that watching Whitlee’s example pushes her to raise her own standards.

Away from sports, Burns stays busy on campus through FBLA and FCCLA. In FCCLA, she helps with projects around the school and in the community, giving her another way to give back to the place that has supported her.

That sense of community is what Burns loves most about her hometown. “My favorite thing about my hometown is the community I have,” she said. “My friends are amazing and I could not live without them.”

Burns carries with her a piece of advice she tries to live by every day: not to take anything for granted and to make the most of every opportunity because time goes by fast. She said the past couple of years have flown by, reinforcing just how true that is. Above all, she is grateful for her family. “They have always been supportive of me,” Burns said. “They are always positive and it has helped me keep going.”