North Central High School: Passion, giving and balance bring growth for Abigail Liezen

Whenever North Central High School counselor Kerry Trepus had a new student who needed to be shown around the school, she had a go-to pick for a tour guide: Abigail Liezen.

Liezen, a senior, has balanced sports, leadership, community service and 13 honors and AP classes – all while maintaining a 4.378 GPA. While Trepus said Liezen’s résumé is impressive, her character is what sets her apart.

“She’s just a quality human,” Trepus said. “I thought, ‘If you’re new to North Central, she’s a great first person to meet.’”

For Liezen, the number of responsibilities she’s balanced has been an opportunity for growth.

“I really do think time management is one of the biggest things I’ve gotten out of high school,” Liezen said. “I know that I’ve built that habit that I think I can carry into college, and I just know that it’s paid off, and I’m really grateful.”

Liezen said her commitment to high academic standards has been a long-standing one.

“Both my parents are very hard workers,” Liezen said. “I think that’s always just motivated me, and I’ve just kind of created an expectation for myself.”

Liezen’s motivation has also extended to athletics. The senior has played tennis for four years and soccer for 12 years.

“Building those skills at 5 years old and to see them grow over the past 12 years has been such a gift,” Liezen said. “The relationships I’ve gained from (soccer) are one of the biggest blessings of my life.”

Liezen said one particularly memorable soccer moment was when her team’s senior goalie was injured right before the first game of Liezen’s freshman year. Liezen had minutes to prepare to fill the position.

“I was pushed a lot harder than I thought I could be,” Liezen said. “I feel like that first game was just a little snippet of what the rest of the season would look like – just continued growth.”

Beyond the classroom and the soccer field, Liezen said she has aimed to have an impact on her community by serving an estimated 300 hours and helping raise about $10,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities over three years.

“Helping people who are going through unimaginable things has always been my ‘why’ behind it,” Liezen said. “Being able to share my time and effort is the least I can do for any of those families.”

Meanwhile, the senior’s mom, JoEne Liezen, said she’s proud to have watched her daughter achieve her goals through self-motivation.

“She really is just an outstanding young lady,” Liezen said. “I hope that she continues to set high expectations for herself and follow the things that she is passionate about.”

Next fall, Liezen said she plans to attend Boise State University, and while her major is undecided, she is considering marketing or communications. Whatever lies in store, Liezen said the skills and lessons she’s learned will help her tackle the future.

“I think a big takeaway has been, ‘If you feel passionate about it, or if it’s something that you want to do, you know you can go do it,’” Liezen said. “If you have a goal, you can work hard to achieve it.”