Meek Yet Mighty

Alabama student is unassuming on the outside, but rocket fueled within

- Calvin Harper

If it’s true that shyness is nothing more than a lack of confidence in doing something, then each one of us is shy about something. While there are as many ways of overcoming shyness as there are people, one proven method is to try new things — even if they make you feel anxious. The goal, in essence, is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.

Jasmine Robinson, a senior at Center Point High School in Center Point, Ala., is a perfect example of living this principle. A self-described “shy person,” Jasmine has learned that the best path to overcoming doubts and fears is to face them head-on.

Jasmine claims that her greatest accomplishment is overcoming a fear of heights. While attending Busch Gardens in Orlando, Fla., a friend’s mom challenged her to ride every rollercoaster in the park. “I was terrified of heights but I did it,” she said. “And by the end of the night, I was ready for any coaster.”

This is how she lives her life, staring down her doubts and always looking ahead. She has also ridden the renowned zip lines located in Kentucky’s Mega Cavern, which are in places as high as 70 feet off the ground. “I still haven’t conquered my fear of heights enough to go skydiving,” she said. “I want to do it one day, but not just yet.”

A master juggler — of commitments

For a young lady who also “suffers stage fright” when doing something in front of others, Jasmine is involved in a surprising number of social activities — and she’s good at all of them.