Steer Clear of Lanier
By Helen Hamilton
It was a Monday afternoon in the spring of 2005. The 4th graders of General Greene Elementary School in Greensboro, N.C., were preparing for a boy vs. girls basketball game in PE class. The whistle blew, the ball was tossed in the air and the roar of 10-year-old benchwarmers filled the gymnasium.
On the court a small boy drove to the basket, adrenaline pumping through his veins on the way to a sure layup. Then suddenly, he found himself tripping over the foot of Lanier Gray.
“I was just focused on winning and my foot may have been out,” she claims. Although Lanier denies that this incident was intentional, she is known for her competitive spirit and her willingness to go to great lengths to achieve a goal.
Currently Lanier is working to continue her streak of never missing an episode of the reality show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians. On a more serious note, she is striving to better her community by encouraging diversity.
Lanier, 17, of Summerfield, N.C., has an unwavering spirit of perseverance.
“I don’t let anything get in my way. I’m willing to start from the bottom and work my way up,” Lanier said. When she realized that her school lacked a sense of unity, she decided to take the issue into her own hands.
Nationwide diversity program, ANYDAY, works to discourage prejudice in school systems and promote understanding. Due to the fact that ANYDAY was not available at her high school, staying true to her determined personality, Lanier did not let this slow her down. She contacted her principle about bringing the workshop to her school. It was a complex process that required meetings and hours of coordinating. Her hard work paid off when the program finally was approved.
This experience left Lanier feeling as if she took more from the program than the program took from her.
“I am the type of person who accepts when there is an issue, and the fact that I took part in bringing issues of prejudice to the attention of my classmates gives me hope that I can make difference,” Lanier said.
It’s obvious; Lanier is not your typical teenager. From an outsiders perspective it’s hard to comprehend how an ordinary girl is capable of achieving extraordinary things. When asked where her motivation is derived from, Lanier responded, “I surround myself with amazing people. It’s all about what you’re exposed to. When you see people doing great things, you want to be great, too.”
Lanier has a compassionate heart. There is no question that she will achieve her career goal of working in the public relations field. At the rate that she is going, the world can only expect great things from her.