Centralia School

*SENIOR SPOTLIGHT*

Alina Feldkamp by Erin Smith

Centralia High School´s class of 2026 has many talented and gifted students. Among them is Alina Feldkamp. Alina Noelle was born on December 27th, 2007, to Brandon Feldkamp and Crystalyn Koch. She is the oldest of three children, with siblings Blake and Aria. She has many hobbies, including painting, reading, and playing video games with her friends. Alina is highly involved in school activities, participating in FFA, FBLA, NHS, STUCO, Yearbook, Choir, and Esports, and holding leadership roles in many of them. She has been a dedicated member of FFA all four years and currently serves as Historian. She has participated in FBLA during her junior and senior years and currently holds the position of Secretary. As a member of NHS her junior and senior years, she now serves as Vice President. Additionally, she was involved in STUCO her junior year, where she served as the FFA representative. Her favorite has been FFA, not only for the opportunities it has given her throughout her high school career, but also for the friends she has made. When asked what her favorite high school memory was, she responded with the trip FFA took to the National Convention in Indianapolis. She recalls how, on the way there, they stopped at a reindeer farm. While they were there, they spent plenty of time at the convention center, running amok and completing the GooseChase photo challenge, which her team ultimately won. They also explored the Living History Museum at Conner Prairie. They ended up creating an entire storyline between the historical interpreters, bringing to life a love story between the carpenter and his assistant. They ran around the town helping the blacksmith to pay off his debt at the grocery store so he could craft them a metal heart, which they then had the carpenter gift to his assistant. She explains that it was completely spontaneous and ended up being the funniest and most memorable moment of the trip.
When reflecting on who influenced her most during high school, Alina shared that Mrs. Gleason had the biggest impact. Through her English classes, she not only improved Alina’s speaking and writing but also helped shape her as a person. By constantly challenging her to think deeper, Mrs. Gleason encouraged Alina to become a stronger critical thinker with a greater understanding of the world around her. After graduation, Alina plans to continue her education at Wichita State University, where she will major in Fine Arts with a focus on Graphic Design and Engineering. She is excited to combine her creativity with technical skills as she moves into the next chapter of her life.
To next year’s senior class, Alina offers simple but meaningful advice: make the most of every opportunity and don’t take the little moments for granted. She emphasizes that those small experiences often become the most memorable. Like many students, Alina faced challenges throughout high school. One of the biggest was pushing herself outside of her comfort zone. While it wasn’t always easy to try new things or get involved, she found that stepping out and taking chances led to some of her best experiences. Through her involvement in various organizations, she gained confidence and created lasting memories.
If she could relive one moment, Alina would choose her trip to California for the FBLA National Leadership Conference. From competing to spending time at the beach and sharing countless laughs with friends at the hotel, it was an experience she will always cherish. Alina believes that high school has prepared her well for the future by helping her develop essential skills, such as time management, responsibility, and critical thinking. Through both academics and extracurricular activities, she learned how to collaborate with others, take on new challenges, and grow as an individual.
A fun fact about Alina is that she is a huge Formula 1 fan and watches nearly every race, even those that start as early as four in the morning. When asked to describe her high school experience in one word, Alina chose “rewarding.” Through all the challenges, growth, and involvement, she feels that the hard work and experiences have truly made it all worthwhile.