For Charlotte, our Student of the Year Competition is a family affair. Last year, her older sister, Grace, won. And this year, Charlotte herself is a runner up. It’s a funny coincidence, but it’s also fitting. Because for the Hausers, family is everything.
When I called Charlotte for an interview, she sounded sweet and mature, especially for her age (she just finished her sophomore year), but also a little shy. That changed, however, when I asked her to tell me more about her family.
“The Hausers are super fun!” said Charlotte exuberantly. “We love adventure.”
Charlotte explained that all five of them (mom, dad, sister, brother, and Charlotte) enjoy traveling. They’ve been out west multiple times. They like visiting the national parks and exploring the great American outdoors. They went to Hawaii once (“It was incredible!”). Charlotte hopes to visit Maine and Arcadia National Park next.
At the same time, the Hausers love quiet moments at home. Family dinners. Game nights. Movie nights. Just sitting down at the end of the day and discussing pros and cons. (That last one is Charlotte’s favorite.)
Charlotte’s description of her family reminded me of the Smiths from Meet Me in Saint Louis, a classic Judy Garland musical from the 1940s. The film poignantly depicts the joy, chaos, sorrow, and maturing which occurs within family life over a year. And, like the Judy Garland character in that musical, Charlotte experienced her own “coming of age” story this past year.
On Pointe
Charlotte started dancing at three years old. She attends a Christian dance academy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which focuses on tap, jazz, and ballet. Charlotte enjoys all three styles, but ballet is her favorite. She received her pointe shoes in 2019, a significant moment for any young ballerina.
Charlotte has starred in many productions, including The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe where she played Lucy and her sister, Grace, played Susan. Charlotte’s perennial favorite, however, is The Nutcracker, which the academy performs annually for Christmas. Last year, Charlotte hoped to earn another leading role, but sadly, she broke her foot over the summer, dashing her hopes of auditioning for The Nutcracker or even participating in the upcoming dance season.
“At first, I was really upset,” Charlotte recalls. “My whole identity was being a dancer.”
Charlotte suddenly found herself with a lot of time on her hands, which only made the situation worse. She was used to a full schedule of practices and performances. She decided to volunteer for A Very Special Nutcracker, an event sponsored by her dance academy for those with disabilities. The students attend a weekly class to learn choreography and eventually star in the performance. The experience was life changing.
“My Monday nights are now filled with joy,” says Charlotte. “The dancers touch my heart. The joy and pride on their faces when they perform is priceless.”
Charlotte’s broken foot might have stolen a starring role from her, but she found something even better in the process. It’s wonderful to be the lead, but focusing on others is always more rewarding.
The Purpose of Adversity
Charlotte’s story might strike some as unremarkable, dismissed as a sappy Hallmark movie. In reality, however, many teens struggle to deal with disappointments and setbacks, let alone channel them in a productive manner. Charlotte’s suffering led her to purpose and meaning, and ultimately, she discovered more joy than any lead role could produce.
“I realized my identity lies in Christ alone,” Charlotte says.
Dancing had become a single-minded pursuit for Charlotte. And with that option removed from her schedule, she discovered other amazing things. She became more involved with her church. She joined the youth group. Charlotte never had time for these simple pleasures, and yet they have enriched her life in a myriad of ways.
Adversity gave Charlotte a glimpse at a different life, which she would not have sought out on her own. That’s an underrated benefit of disappointment. We often applaud the resilience and perseverance that grows through overcoming challenges, but these challenges can reorient us in positive ways too. Sometimes we discover what we always wanted isn’t everything we desire.
Dancing Through Life
“I realize you still have two years of high school left,” I asked. “But do you have any idea what you’d like to do afterward?”
“I want to be a math teacher for elementary school kids,” Charlotte answered confidently. “And I want to work with special needs students.”
After the story I told above, you probably aren’t surprised by that response. But it’s even more illustrative than you realize. When Charlotte reached high school, math became a struggle. Charlotte’s mom signed her up for Algebra 1 with HSLDA Online Academy, and things began clicking again. Math is now her favorite subject, all because she didn’t give up when things got hard.
No one enjoys adversity. But Charlotte’s story demonstrates how much we can grow through the experience. Charlotte is a more complete person than she was a year ago. And yes, she’s dancing again, too.
