Ada High School senior, Courtney “CoCo” McLaughlin, is the May Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative student of the month. The Icon chatted with her earlier this week. Here’s a portion of that conversation.
Icon: Tell us the classes that you are taking this spring.
CoCo: I’m taking Film and Lit, Economics, Spanish 4, Astronomy, Statistics and Varsity Singers.
Icon: What’s your favorite class this spring?
CoCo: I really like Film and Lit. We get to create different types of films and watch movies.
Icon: Which one is the most difficult?
CoCo: I wouldn’t consider myself a math person, so I would have to say Statistics
Icon: We understand you plan to attend Ohio Northern University in the fall. What do you plan on majoring in?
CoCo: Music Education.
Icon: So, what do you hope to be doing after graduating from ONU?
CoCo: To be a music or choir teacher and also continue my dream of being on Broadway one day.
Icon: We also see that you’ve been involved with Varsity Singers and in school musicals. Tell us a little about those experiences.
CoCo: I’ve had the amazing experience of being casted as “Holly” in the Wedding Singer musical my freshman year and “Fiona” in Shrek the musical my junior year. And Varsity Singers for four years.
I love performing it brings me so much joy. Funny story. I began my love of performing at the age of 8 when I was casted as the “Main child” in ONU’s Holiday Spectacular where I had a solo singing “Mary Did You Know.” I had never been on a stage before then and even though every show was sold out and there was tons of people, I wasn’t afraid to be on stage...I loved every minute of it and now having the opportunity to attend ONU majoring in Music and getting to audition again for the Holiday Spectacular as a college student, and getting to learn from all the amazing professors at ONU. I kinda feel like I have come full circle.
Icon: You’ve also been a cheerleader. We’ve watched you do flips across the gym floor. How many flips can you do in a row?
CoCo: I love flipping...I can do 12 backhand springs in a row.
Icon: What’s it like not being in school this spring? How do you talk with your friends?
CoCo: I love being at school and really miss going every day and seeing everyone in person and walking the halls and just saying Hi and smiling at everyone, especially it being my senior year.
I really wish we would have had those moment to take pics of our last days, parade the halls in our cap and gowns in front of all the little kids, say goodbye to teachers and staff and all the other senior things. But it’s okay, when we look back, we 2020 seniors will definitely have a crazy story to tell on how our last few months of high school were in quarantine. It will for sure be original.
On staying in touch with my friends, I have been Snap chatting, Face Timing or just talking to them on the phone. We have been having Zooms, which is fun too.
For Film Club, Mr. Ames has made a Netflix’s party so we can watch movies as a group and we zoom at the same time so we can still talk and see everyone’s reactions.
Icon: What type of music do you listen to?
CoCo: I love all genres of music. I don’t really have just one favorite. I love listening to most Disney songs, Country, R&B, Pop and Rock including many artists old and new like Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, Adele, Celine Dion, Beatles, Elvis, Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5...you name it.
Icon: What are some of your activities outside of school?
CoCo: I’ve been in acting, modeling and singing since I was 10. I even spent some time in LA. I’m still doing some commercials, print modeling and singing wherever I can. I love singing the National Anthem. I’ve sung it for Ada track, football, basketball and baseball games, OHSAA state playoff games at the Schottenstein Center, Bluffton’s Relay for Life, Toledo Walleyes & Mudhens.
Recently, I got to sing a few songs with Nashville Crush at the Ada Wilson’s Football Festival and sang at Viva Maria’s who has the best food and cannoli.
Last summer, I got to lead the VBS “Too Mars and Beyond” at Ada First United Methodist Church. It was so fun to see the kids light up and really enjoy the messages and songs we were teaching them.
Icon: What’s your favorite all-time movie?
CoCo: Lol I have three...Into the Woods, Mama Mia and Beauty and the Beast – the one with Emma Watson.
Icon: Thanks for talking with us! And good luck next year at ONU.
