Warren Harding has come a long way in four years and Jasmine Kirkland has been in the starting lineup every step of the way.
She helped the Raiders go from seven to 15 victories in her sophomore season. As a junior, Kirkland was named All Steel Valley Conference and All District as Warren Harding won its first league title.
Harding is now 14-2 behind her senior leadership: "Yeah, it was very overwhelming,” Kirkland said. “The jitters in the stomach, but I got over that. I'm used to it now. I'm used to the pressure and the way high school basketball is played."
Kirkland’s now good for 14 points and 10 rebounds a night, but her improvement is not limited to the court. She carried a 3.5 GPA through her junior year, and that has risen to 3.8.
"This is my twelfth grade year, and to me, it's the hardest year of them all,” Kirkland said. “So I try to study my hardest, being that I have to get accepted into colleges. So I studied my hardest."
She is a member of National Honor Society, and will soon become the first person from her family to go to college after being accepted to Cleveland State. She plans to study physical therapy.
“It's very thrilling,” Kirkland said. “My family is excited for me. I'm motivating my peers below me. So it's very exciting. It's exciting for me too. It will be a great experience."
Chances are, she will continue to improve, which makes Jasmine Kirkland of Warren Harding our Student Athlete of the Week.
