Being from Carney has shaped Brooklyn Allen.
The senior cheerleader said it’s helped her make closer-knit friend groups and tight communication with others, and more. While she said you get used to being in a small town when you’ve been there your whole life, the community she’s been shown by her classmates, friends, upperclassmen and lower classmen has changed how she looks at the world.
“Even though it’s small, each person has their different opinion, their slight differences and changes,” she said. “I want more, but I also just, Carney showed me that even if you don’t get along with someone that you can still see how they’re a good person, how they might not like you or you might not like them, but they’re living a similar life to you, whether you know it or not.”
She laughed with her mother, Mindy Allen, as they talked about all the various community events that take place in Carney, from hide and seek with the local police, to festivals. But even with her love for the small town life, Allen wants to go out and experience more. She hopes to go to a bigger university and live in the dorms where she can meet more people and make more friends. The full college experience.
While she has cousins and others in her extended family who’ve attended college, Brooklyn hopes to be the first in her immediate family to attend and graduate. Something her mother is excited about, though they’re still working out the specifics on where.
“I would love to go to OSU or OU, I don’t really care which, but they’re expensive so I think we need to go for something a bit less pricey,” Brooklyn admitted. “We have a wonderful counselor who’s helping us all with college. He’s done great for our last year seniors. He got them all into good colleges, basically free rides. He’s amazing, honestly. I don’t know how he does it. He likes to talk, too.”
Allen said she’s considering either a nursing degree or going to veterinarian school. Currently, she works at a nursing home with her mother -- a job Mindy helped her get -- and she enjoys helping the people around her.
“I really enjoy being around the residents. I really like just being around a lot of people, a lot of different stories, seeing how others interact with each other. It’s really nice,” she said.
As for becoming a vet, that comes from her love of animals. Allen is also in FFA, though she doesn’t show animals, and has what could almost be considered a small zoo at home -- 23 chickens, two dogs, three rabbits and a bunch of cats. Though her favorite is a Silkie she’s named Hannibal Lector.
“When I first saw him, at once, he was pecking out another chicken. And then when his top grew in, it just made more sense,” she joked. “He’s great, honestly.”
Outside of animals and community, Allen said cheer is probably one of her most important activities. It’s what motivates her to keep her grades up, though she admits she’s not at the top of her class. She said her history teacher Mrs. Whitson has been a positive influence in that aspect as well.
“She has always been like the voice in the back of your head just telling you to keep going like try harder you got this,” she said. “Doing all she can to make sure that I am going forward with what I need to do.”
Which can be a lot. Outside of cheer and FFA, Allen is also in newspaper, media and yearbook, as well as being vice president of her class.
Shawna Whitson said Allen is a creative and enthusiastic student who is always willing to lend a hand in school projects or activities.
“Brooklyn has impacted the school and community by her willingness to help wherever she may be needed. She helps her senior class stay organized with important senior milestones, supports her grandparents at the community Farmer’s Market each month, and maintains a job at the local nursing home,” the teacher said. “I hope she achieves her dreams of attending college and becoming a nurse. Brooklyn has many goals she wants to achieve in her life, and I hope she reaches each one.”