Addison Trail senior to attend Cornell University

For as long as Addison Trail senior Cami Whitaker (pictured above) can remember, her goal has been to be accepted at Cornell University, a private Ivy League school in New York.

And on Nov. 16, her dream came true, as she signed to attend Cornell during a celebration with teammates, friends, administrators, staff members and family members. While Cornell doesn’t award merit aid or athletic scholarships, Whitaker received a financial package to compete for the Women’s Gymnastics Team. Whitaker has been in gymnastics since she was 4 years old and said what she enjoys about the sport is spending time with her teammates and overcoming challenges.

“Cornell has been one of my top choices for a long time,” Whitaker said. “What drew me to this campus is its academic focus and team atmosphere.”

Whitaker said she has reached this level of success thanks to the support of her family and the staff members at Addison Trail. As a high-level Junior Olympic (level 10) gymnast, Whitaker has sacrificed a lot of the “normal” high school experiences for her athletic passion to compete at the collegiate level.

“It’s definitely rewarding and a relief to have all of that hard work pay off,” Whitaker said.

Whitaker plans to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at Cornell University.