Land O' Lakes High Student Has Her Sights Set on Wall Street

Land O’ Lakes High School recently had six students named as National Merit  Scholarship Finalists.

Patch caught up with several of them to find out what's in store for them after graduation.

Meet Kirstin Balavender, 17, of Wesley Chapel. The senior has already committed to the University of Alabama, where she will pursue a business-related degree.

“I’m still figuring it out,” Balavender said. “ I want to go into a job in finance."

Wall Street is in her future, she said.

Balavender has volunteered on the Teen Advisory Board at the Lutz Library for the past few years, she said. As a volunteer, she helps design and facilitate activities for young children.

She also is a counselor-in-training at MOSI during the summer months.

“I have patience with young children. I love little kids,” she said.

Though she is “really focused on school and college right now," Balavender said she hopes to eventually start a family of her own.

Balavender recently started offering tutoring services to local students and said she still has a few openings.  Email keli.sipperley@patch.com for contact information.