Class of 2016: Taking on life's adventures

When Annika Gordon wants to take on a new challenge in life, she makes it happen. 

Gordon had watched the movie “Whip It,” about a teenage girl who joins a roller derby team, countless times. Although she didn’t have any experience, she was inspired to join the Flathead Valley Roller Derby. She been on the team about six months and though she’s only competed in one scrimmage so far, she determined to learn and improve.

“It was my dream to be a bad ass derby chick,” she says with a smile. “It was a lot harder than I thought, but I’m so glad I did it. It’s really empowering to be around all those strong women. As girls, I feel like we grow up being told we’re not supposed to be loud and get dirty. It forced me to push outside my comfort zone.”

Now she’s decided to travel the western United States on her bike and she’s working to make that happen too.

“I wanted to take a break from the stress of school,” she said. “I like traveling and I want to see as many places as I can. I think it will be a cool adventure.”

The Whitefish High School senior is taking a gap year before heading off to college. Following her solo trip she plans to attend Western Washington University, majoring in environmental science and minoring in sexual and gender studies.

Gordon says when she sets her mind to facing new challenges, that doesn’t mean she’s not afraid.

“I definitely get scared, but when I’m passionate about something I really want, I push past that,” she said.

Gordon has never done a long bicycle trip, but she hopes her summer business will prepare her physically for the trip and put some cash in her pocket. She hopes to operate a pedicab business this summer in downtown Whitefish before hitting the road.

At school, Gordon is the president of the Gay Straight Alliance Club, co-president of FREEFLOW, vice president of STAND, and a member of the National Honor Society. She ran varsity cross-country for four years and was on the varsity tennis team for three. She has earned numerous music awards including being named to the Montana All State Orchestra for four years, named to the University of Montana All-Star Orchestra, earned superior ratings at the State Music Festival for four years and served as concert mistress for the high school orchestra.

She has performed in three music groups — Stikbopik, Left Side Brains and Shrews Exist. She plays violin and guitar, and sings. Her music interests range from punk to Celtic with everything in between “except modern country.”

“I really love music,” she said. “It’s an emotional release — it’s a good way to express myself. I’m much more comfortable playing the guitar in front of people. It’s easier for me to write a song than to give a speech as a way to connect with people.”

As part of her work with the FREEFLOW environmental club, she has worked on research projects analyzing water quality data, doing restoration work and traveling on field science trips. She said she’s proud that she was part of the group of students that helped to raise $50,000 to construct a greenhouse for the high school. That project has now grown into the Center for Applied Sustainability, which is now planned to include a greenhouse, an experimental forest zone, a wetland and native plant area and learning center.

“It’s amazing that it’s become this huge $1 million project,” she said. “It’s cool that a few of us got to work on that. I can’t wait to come back and help with it in the summer.”