By Bonnie Bremer, guest writer
From a classroom dimly lit by the morning sun, one would expect to see students rubbing their eyes struggling to stay focused in class. However, you can’t miss the bright smile and excitement from the back of the class when Senquest Buchanan finds a picture of her older sister playing basketball. She giggles at her sister’s face and hurriedly looks up statistics to inform those around her. As she spits out facts from the past seasons, her friendly persona shines through. She sits proud and content as she explains her family and her favorite sport, basketball.
Buchanan is a senior at Loy Norrix High School.With her effortless ability to make people laugh, it’s no wonder she considers herself the class clown. Currently, Buchanan is working on the senior video and cannot wait to graduate in the spring. She enjoys writing poems, singing in the choir and most of all playing basketball.
“I was really into sports and my mom coached basketball, so I used to go to all her practices and it made me wanna play basketball.” Buchanan said.
Buchanan played in a league for the Amateur Athletic Union, (AAU),  which encourages teens to be involved in sports and physical health.
“The coach for Central [and the AAU league], went to school with her [my mom] so he asked me to play for the basketball team,” Buchanan said.
She played for two years traveling all over the country in tournaments, meeting lots of new people. Her coach, Dan Thornton, motivated her the most by teaching lessons through drills and game advice. When asked about her worst memory of AAU she replied simply, “Running.”
Basketball wouldn’t have been so important to Buchanan if her family hadn’t been involved.
“We have a big family, we’re from the South,” Buchanan said.
Buchanan’s older sister, Elexis, is another important role model in her life.
“We act just alike,” said Buchanan “Everywhere she goes, I go.”
Sister Elexis Buchanan played on the Loy Norrix Varsity Basketball team for four years and played for Wayne State College; a college that Buchanan herself would like to attend majoring in social work. She chose this major through watching her mother.
“My mom worked in foster care. and I used to be there,” Buchanan said. “I like helping kids.”
Following yet again in her family’s footsteps, Buchanan’s plan is to attend Grand Valley State University or Wayne State College. In ten years Buchanan hopes to be a social worker or basketball coach for a college.  She hopes to instill the important lessons in other young kids like she had when she was in AAU.
“[AAU taught me to] always keep your mind right,” Buchanan said.