Extraordinary role model

When Garwood Elementary School counselor Susan Baragia met Katie Kuisti six years ago, she knew right away that Katie was an extraordinary person. Now in sixth grade, Katie and Baragia have forged a friendship that no doubt will continue when Katie moves on to Lakeland Junior High next year.

Although Baragia has been Katie’s counselor since kindergarten, their friendship really began when Katie was in second grade.

“I was in a divorce group (led by Baragia) for kids whose parents were divorced,” Katie said.

Witnessing both Katie’s ability to interact with others as well as her integrity, Baragia asked Katie to help facilitate a friendship group with the first-grade students.

Basically a life skills class, Katie assisted Baragia in role playing and team building exercises.

“She always kept everything totally confidential,” said Katie’s mom, Julie Kuisti.

“Hence, why I chose her,” added Baragia. “I knew she would always be appropriate.”

Katie was the obvious choice to be a facilitator of a friendship group because there is no doubt that she is the kind of friend everyone wants. She is loyal, kind and will stand up for what she believes in no matter what the cost – especially when people are unkind.

“It hurts me to see people being mean,” said Katie, who said she makes a point of sticking up for other kids who are being bullied. “I went up to one kid and said ‘Is that the only way you can get attention is to make fun of people?’ And he just walked away.”

Kuisti recognizes how brave her daughter is, and it makes her proud.

“I would’ve never had that courage at her age,” she said.

But Katie says she doesn’t think it is a big deal to speak up. In fact, she encourages everyone to confront someone when they witness someone being purposefully hurtful to others.

“Just ask people how they would feel if that was happening to them,” said Katie, who added that people will usually stop when confronted.

In addition to her outstanding leadership abilities, Katie is an exceptional student and has been on the high honor roll nearly every semester at Garwood.

She is active in 4-H, where she raises pigs, and is a member of the horse drill team.

“We perform before the rodeos at Kootenai County Fairgrounds,” Katie said.

She has two horses, a 25-year-old and a 2-year-old. The older horse, Sophie, was Katie’s aunt’s horse and she gave it to Katie when she was just 4 years old.

“I’ve never seen her cry so hard,” said Julie Kuisti, referring to Katie’s reaction upon learning the horse was being given to her. “People cannot believe the relationship they (Katie and her horse) have.”

Katie rides her horses at both her home and her grandfather’s, and competes in shows during the summer. She is also busy year-round training her 2-year-old horse, and takes her responsibility to feed and groom her animals seriously.

“It amazes me how responsible she is,” said her mom. “I do not even have to ask her. She goes out and feeds her horses and gets her homework done.”

One activity Katie enjoys in her time away from school and horses is being with her friends from church. A member of New Life Community Church in Hayden, Katie said she enjoys hearing the Bible put into a language that she can apply to everyday life.

“I like youth group because they put it (the lesson) in words youth can understand,” Katie said.

Katie’s mom becomes emotional when she speaks about the recognition her daughter has received by her peers. For almost every year that she has attended Garwood Elementary, Katie has received the Citizenship Award. The honor is voted on by classmates and is presented to a boy and a girl in each grade.

“It’s (the award) really about how you relate to the other students and whether you are a good student,” said Katie. “They look to the leaders, role models and all around good kids,” adds Julie Kuisti.

And according to Baragia, those characteristics describe Katie perfectly.

“Katie sets a good example for all the kids,” Baragia said.