Senior Profile: Chasity Williams

I recently sat down with one of my all-time favorite ladies, Lake Roosevelt senior Chasity “All-star” Williams to talk about how things are going. Chasity has one of the biggest, best smiles and has grown a lot over the past few years. She is also a private person when it comes to her personal life, but she opened up a bit as we chatted with each other.

“Better than I thought.” That was her answer to my opening question of how her year was going. She explained that she got an early acceptance to college, and she was not sure in the beginning of the year what she wanted to do after high school, but things are starting to come together. She is just about positive that she wants to be a physical therapist and a tattoo artist. “Mostly a tattoo artist,” she added with a smile. She has been accepted to the University of Idaho and is super excited to study biology (physical therapy) and art. “Art so I can get really good at tats and hook up my customers, friends and family,” she said, and that big smile got bigger.

As we continued chatting, the conversation took a more serious turn. I asked her about overcoming things and what, if anything, she had to overcome. At first, an “I don’t know?” came, and that cute little wrinkling of her nose, like a rabbit. She does that a lot. “I just did not care. I was apathetic and just did not care about anything, but I realized that others were seeing me different; they were thinking I wasn’t smart.” She realized that they were putting her down and she decided it was time to start standing up for herself. And she did. Her grades have risen steadily, and so did her attitude. There were those who saw something else in her. They saw leadership, passion and intelligence. She started standing up for things she believed in and standing up for what she thought was right. Her passion for things she enjoyed flourished. Like art and science. She took on a leadership role in whatever sport she was playing, and a strong, powerful woman emerged.

Then things got emotional. For me and for her. I asked, “Who has influenced you the most here at Lake Roosevelt?” She was quiet for a second or two, and the water started gathering in her eyes. She started making a statement as if I was not in the room, and the water flowed from both our eyes: “Mr. and Mrs. Utz. They have always listened to my problems, they helped me find God, and they treat me like family. They have always given me an escape when school was just getting too tough and let me cool down with them.” There was silence for a bit after that. Emotions got the best of both of us.

When we gathered ourselves, I asked about her family and how they have influenced her. She immediately answered, “My mom and Grandpa Chazz. They both have pushed me to do more than they did, to get a better education and do what’s best for me.” Great advice for a senior with a big world ahead of her. And I know how important family is to Chasity; we have talked many times about the importance of family and how much hers means to her.

Her advice to future seniors: “Don’t wait until the last minute to start trying.” She is right about that. Then she added, “High school is just a small portion of your life. Most won’t remember the details, so don’t let mean people bring you down.” More great advice.

After we finished with our little chat, we shared a hug. It was an important hug. I had to take a few minutes afterward to gather myself. She is a very special young lady. She was right about the family thing, too. She is family to us. She always will be. Thanks, Chasity, for sharing and for just being you. It is students like this that make Raider Pride soar. Oh, and I plan on getting my first “tat” from the All-star Chasity Williams.