Oakmont Eighth-Grader Builds on Experience

Alexa Patsey is already busy, and her eighth-grade year has just begun.

At Riverview, the Oakmont 13-year-old plays two different instruments in two different bands, runs cross country and track, is the president of the Builder’s Club, and is captain of the junior high cheerleading squad.

And those are only some of the activities that keep Alexa active.

“I’d rather be out doing something,” she said.

From the sounds of it, she often is.

It’s her second year playing saxophone in her school’s marching band. Since fifth grade, she has played bassoon in concert band.

She plays soccer, will likely be part of her school’s spring musical – she played the cake in last year’s “Beauty and the Beast” and was part of its ensemble – and has been involved with the Ecology Club and the Girl Scouts.

“I think it is great that she is so active and wants to be involved in a lot of activities,” Alexa’s mother, Marisa Patsey said. “We are very proud of her.”

Alexa has been involved in various activities since a young age.

“We tried a lot of different classes and activities when she was little to see what she liked to do,” Marisa Patsey said.

“Her likes have changed and evolved as she has gotten older but she has always been involved in something—or several things, as she is now.”

Alexa started playing soccer in the second or third grade, with Twin Boros Soccer.

Soccer is still a favorite.

“I’m really competitive, so it’s a good sport for me,” Alexa said.

She continues to branch out, giving track, cross-country and volleyball all a try.

“I like being in sports because you can meet a bunch of new people,” she said.

But it’s not only sports that play an important role in Alexa’s busy life. She’s been a member of several groups and academic competitions and made high honor roll.

Those competitions include Calcu-solve, the Stock Market Game, the Propaganda Bowl, Mock Trial, Equations and the Fuel Cell Car Race.

This year, she is president of Riverview’s Builder’s Club, a Kiwanis Club service leadership organization for middle school and junior high students.

“I just think that’s really good – to build a good life for later on,” she said of the organization.

In order to be able to run for a position in the organization, Alexa said, a potential candidate had to have performed at least 20 service hours.

She performed 30 last year, volunteering at events like the St. Iraneaus festival and Oakmont’s Greek Food Festival.

“I thought as president I’d be able to change more things than just as a volunteer,” Alexa said when asked about her decision to run.

Even before school started, the Builder’s Club activities did. Twice this summer the group’s members have hosted orientation for incoming seventh graders.

That’s only the beginning.

Alexa plans to organize a Builder’s Club trip to visit the Animal Protectors animal shelter in Pittsburgh.

First, she hopes the group will do fundraising. With the money, she said members will buy items on the shelter’s wish list. They’ll then personally deliver those items to the shelter and help walk some of their new canine friends.