Minnetonka High School Senior Spotlight: Maddie Peters

Written by Maggie Shea

“When one part of life gets healthier, every other part follows. There is a ripple effect,” says Maddie Peters, an IB diploma student who plans to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a physician. Her interest in medicine is reflected in her high school endeavors: she wrote an in-depth IB essay on the role of smallpox in the American Revolution, and examined vaccinations in a paper for one of her favorite classes, Theory of Knowledge, taught by Cheryl Duncan. “Maddie is thoughtful, open-minded and not afraid to ask the tough questions,” says Duncan.

Peters has maintained a weighted 4.4 GPA and earned the designation of AP Scholar with Honors, while also running cross country and serving as a writing coach in the Writing Center, business manager for the student paper, volunteer at the Ridgeview Emergency Room, and barista at Caribou. Dedicated to staying balanced, Maddie values cross country for both the physical challenge and the spillover boost to mental health.

Family plays a central role in Peters’ life: as the oldest of four kids, she says that having au pairs from many different countries while growing up has shaped her understanding of the world. This grounded young scholar appreciates her thirteen years of Minnetonka education, and she is poised to give back to tomorrow’s children. “I hope to work with kids as a doctor,” she says. Next year, she will attend UW-Madison.