Natalie Knight

REDLANDS As the senator from the city of Portola at Girls' State, Natalie Knight was deemed the most outstanding citizen.As an incoming senior at Redlands East Valley, she is no less.

A lifelong Redlands resident, Knight has her hands in just about every class, activity and volunteer effort available.

She brought that leadership experience and diversity of interests to the campus of Pitzer College this summer as one of the Redlands delegates for Girls' State, a program sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary that gives high school girls hands-on experience in the democratic process.
...
Knight is no stranger to political action.

In eighth grade, she and about a dozen other kids who made up the San Bernardino County Museum club lobbied the Redlands City Council to bar smoking at Market Night, the outdoor market held on Thursday nights at State Street.

After talking the issue over with vendors and business owners on State Street, the group circled City Hall in sheets of signatures from people who supported a smoking ban.Knight and others also spoke in front of the council.
...
Although the gift shop does not afford a lot of patient contact, Knight said, it is encouraging to help friends and family members find a bouquet, balloon or toy that will make a patient smile.

Next year, Knight will work as vice president of the Octagon Club, which helps the Redlands Optimist Club on volunteer programs in the community.

As a member, Knight has worked on projects that range from manning child abuse prevention fund raisers to collecting canned food for the needy and gluing petals on the Optimists' float for the Pasadena Rose Parade.

In addition to volunteering and maintaining a grade-point average well above 4.0, Knight is a drum major in the marching band, where she plays flute.

Although she does not see herself playing professionally, she says being a member of the group rounds out her other academic classes.

"If anyone can find something at school that they just enjoy, it can make the whole experience better," she said.

Starting this fall, she will help record her final year as a member of the yearbook staff, and take her last turn on the badminton team.

The sport, she said, hasn't earned a great record, but does have a less competitive attitude and an award for the highest GPA in its division.

When she isn't hitting birdies, she can be found speeding down the slopes of Snow Summit with the other snowboarders in the Ski Club or looking for local venues with a good indie band.

She has not chosen a university to attend, but is considering several University of California campuses, including UC Berkeley.