Anchored by Family and Faith
by Zoe Lawhorn
The cool and confident Catelin Khalaf grew up in Tyler, learning to love and appreciate both the small and the large. The youngest of two children, and the daughter of Christi and Fred Khalaf, Catelin experienced the love and support of a close-knit family first, but as the years passed, her connection to other people and other causes expanded. As a high school senior, Catelin plans on pursuing Environmental Science, so she can impact the world in a large way, tackling the very issues that impact our physical world.
Catelin has been a student at All Saints Episcopal School since she was four, and she has experienced the kind of student life that only a small, supportive academic environment can provide. She has known many of her classmates her entire student life and says she has felt encouraged and supported by the All Saints family. She participated in a variety of sports including soccer, which she started playing at age five. As a senior, she will serve as a team captain. She’s also held many leadership roles in the campus organizations with which she is active, including the Social Media Coordinator and Head of Graphic Design for Copper Roof Media (the school’s marketing agency), Senior Chair of the House Council, and by creating and leading a Christian book club she started on campus her freshman year. Most recently, in October, Catelin was voted Homecoming Queen by her peers.
But before school and community shaped Catelin’s worldview, she leaned on family and faith for her firm foundation. “My parents are definitely my two biggest role models,” says Catelin. “They have always exemplified to me what it means to work hard, give your best no matter what, and be kind to others.” Catelin watched her mom give back to the community through countless volunteer positions over the years and says that Christi is the reason she started volunteering. “Ever since I was little, my mom has always taught me to be kind to others. She instilled in me the value of inclusiveness and selflessness.”
Catelin’s dad also modeled the life-long values that guide her today. “My dad is the most hard-working person I know. He gives his all in order to be successful and support his family.” She says that her dad always encourages her to see the world with optimism and to work hard to achieve her goals.
The family’s shared love of community is part of what led Catelin to G.I.V.E. (Girls Invested in Volunteer Efforts) which is a group modeled after the Women’s Fund of Smith County that empowers high school-aged girls to become involved in philanthropy and volunteerism.
“My favorite activity I’m engaged in is definitely G.I.V.E., because it has allowed me to meet girls from different schools and make an impact in my community,” she says. “Sometimes in volunteer activities, the results of your efforts aren’t very clear, but in G.I.V.E. I have been able to really see the impact that we make in our community, and it has really touched my heart.” This year, Catelin is serving on the Senior Leadership Committee, helping to organize and plan for the future of this growing organization.
She is also involved with the PATH Hygiene Drive, Junior Symphony League, and the Texas Bank and Trust Student Board of Directors, just to name a few.
As a senior, her accomplishments are numerous, and she says that she is most proud of being awarded as an AP Scholar with Honors and winning All District Honorable Mention in soccer her junior year. “I devoted a lot of time to studying and preparing for my AP exams the past few years and was really proud to have received scores of 5 on all the exams I have taken. This was a big accomplishment because my hard work paid off.”
As her high school years draw near to an end, and as she sets her sights on what the future holds, Catelin is eager to embark on all of the opportunities presented through the field of Environmental Science. “As an adult, I hope to have a job that allows me to better our world in some way. I am unsure what exactly I want to do with my environmental science degree, but I know that I want to help solve problems and be a part of creating solutions. I hope that wherever I live, I can find a strong church and social community to support me and my future family.”
Catelin is certain to go forward into the future in this big world, following large dreams, strengthened by the lessons learned in a small community, anchored by family and faith. “My involvement in volunteering in high school has been a huge part of my life and has caused me to want to continue giving back when I graduate,” she says. “As an adult, I will carry forward the lessons my parents have taught me and find ways in which I can devote my time and talents to others.”