Northwest Missouri State University - Tower Yearbook (Maryville, MO)

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Academic acceleration ify TieVOl HdyHo Most high school students didn ' t think about supporting themseK-es, but 1 7-year-old academy student Michael Troxel learned early. Troxel left high school after running out of classes the end of sophomore year. He applied to the Missouri Academy after hearing about it from another student at school. He learned the academy gave advanced high school students a place to finish their high school diploma and dually receive an associate ' s degree from the university. I had exhausted the academic resources of my high school, Troxel said. There was basically nothing left there. It provided a new avenue for new challenges. Due to family problems, Troxel moved out of his parent ' s home just south of St. Louis after spending his junior year at the academy. He became independent and got a job to support himself through the summer With money saved at the end of summer, he took a bus and visited six cities including Princeton, N.J. Since seventh grade, Troxel hoped to attend Princeton University and study astrophysics or psychology after graduating from the Missouri Academy. I wanted to experience a culture that wasn ' t here, Troxel said. I really just wanted to get somewhere else and see how life was like there. I wanted to go to the places I ' ve always read about but never seen. Troxel traveled along the East Coast for six days leaving behind everything and everyone he had ever known. It was very exhilarating, Troxel said. It ' s an interesting thing to leave and have no goals, no restrictions, just to go and experience a way of life that you ' re not used to. You learn a lot about yourself. Even though he lived alone for a summer, Troxel learned he didn ' t want to be as independent as he thought. Being constantly surrounded by other students at the academy made him want to get away from all the people, but he felt a void when miles separated him from his friends. Being alone in a foreign place really reminded me how much that, even though I dislike being surrounded by people constantly, I really don ' t want to be alone in life, Troxel said. Even though he moved out of his own home, Troxel didn ' t always feel alone in the world. His grandmother ' s couch served as a place to crash during breaks from school, and he found his true home at the academy. I ' ve got a great family here, Troxel said. After living for a year with a group of people very much like yourself, you can ' t help but love them. Because of the academy ' s 8 p.m. weekday and 10:30 p.m. weekend curfews, students spent long hours together in close quarters. It ' s pretty close to a marriage, he said. We love each other, and we ' d do anything for each other, but sometimes, after being cooped up with each other for a long time, you just want to get away from each other. Troxel ' s travels enabled him to do that. He got away from everything he knew. He saw a new culture and took a step toward new challenges and opportunities at Princeton, where he planned on earning his doctorate before setting up a private practice, researching or teaching. If I could stay in school tor the rest of my life and continue learning, that would be great, but obviously, that ' s not financially possible, he said. I want to learn as much as possible, go through life, meet as many people as possible, live with as many different types of people, just experience life in general. ■f ' i 4 -

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Slai Smich, Jennifer Smith. Jennifer Smith. Krysile Smith. Megan Smith. Miles Smith. Miranda SnixJgrass, Courtney Sparlcs. Bradley Spcgal. Erin Spiegel, Laura St.ingl. Stepltanie icffcn. Derek -Tchly. Ehzabeth ■ iiens, Anthony toM)e, Amanda ueyoshi, Minoni Swee.on. ' R -im Swift. Stephanie Swink, Kara Switier. Nichole Swic er. Tracey Sychra, Tami Tablet, Amanda Terry. Stephen Teubner. Sarah Tholen, Taylor Thomas, Jennifer Thomas, Scott Thu, Br -an Thuraian. Leanne Todd, Manhew Toebben. Julie Tran. Crystal Turner, Lewis Umscheld, Amarula Umstattd. Dan Underft-ood, Hetuy ' an Dusseldorp, Katie Van Zante. Alisa Vescovo. Laura brchmann. Cassi Vostrez, Liz Watson. Nicholas Webster. Jill Webster, Malloi ' Weis. Kim ' ells, Thomas Wendl, Joseph Wermihan, Beth Whipple, Daia Wicker, Renee WUliaitu, Jetard Willingham, Joni Wiilson, Cr ' stal Witte. Allison Wittmaack. Ashley t ' i:e. Michael Wright. Nicole W -nn. Heather Yuui g, Sara Zenor. Katie Ziegler. Shannon Ziinmerschied. Sarah DioirtO - fiU e . e » r ' ' •

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