LAPLACE — West St. John senior Tierny Sterling wants to pursue a career in forensic science with a focus on chemistry. Her dream is to work for the FBI, where she could provide scientific support to unravel the mystery behind high profile cases.

Penn State University and Arcadia University are two of Sterling’s top college choices for forensic science. Kind and open-minded, she is driven by confidence and determined to leave her mark on the world.

“To me, forensic science is like a story,” Sterling said. “When somebody dies, you want to see how they died. What was the reason behind it? I want to tell that story; explain what happened.”

Sterling knows focus and leadership skills are essential to achieving her goals. As one of the top ranked students in her graduating class, Sterling makes it a priority to be an active participant in class.

“Being a good student means we all work hard towards something,” Sterling said. “We put our effort into everything that we do.”

Sterling has sharpened her leadership abilities through extracurricular activities, including academic organizations and athletics.

She plays catcher, second base and outfield on the Lady Rams softball team. Last season, she rose to the challenge to practice pitching after the team’s go-to pitcher graduated early in December, leaving the team with a major deficit.

This year, she joined the basketball team for fun. Sterling is also a member of band, where she has played the trombone since her freshman year.

However, Sterling truly gets to shine as a leader in STEM Club. She is the president of the group, and she guides her peers through robotics competitions. As vice president of Beta Club, Sterling participates in community service activities and regional conventions. She was selected to represent her school in the U.S. history division during Beta competitions.

Through 4-H, Sterling volunteers at the nursing home and takes part in seasonal competitions. In October, there was a contest for pumpkin decorating. The final student organization she participates in is DECA, short for the Distributive Educational Clubs of America.

DECA prepares students for career opportunities in marketing, entrepreneurship, management and other fields.

“At competitions, we test on different scenarios,” Sterling said. “One scenario was about a customer who comes into your restaurant and just orders one drink, but stays almost to closing time. The question was whether you keep them in your restaurant and how you make the customer and the management happy.”

Over the summer, Sterling took part in a weeklong Girl’s State program, where she bonded with peers from around Louisiana and learned the ins and outs of the state political structure.

Outside of school, she unwinds by painting scenery and animals.

Classmate Aaliyah Bailey said Sterling is known for her kind heart.

“She is the nicest person in our class, honestly,” Bailey said. “If you ever need help, you can definitely ask her.”