This article written by Staff Writers Elizabeth Doran and Sarah Moses.
Megan Robinson, Cazenovia High School senior.
Rachel Hains, a Mexico High School seniorCazenovia High School senior Megan Robinson hates to get behind on her class work, so she’s made sure never to miss a day of school in 13 years.
Rachel Hains, a Mexico High School senior, hates to see her homework pile up, so she also has made it to school every day since kindergarten.
The two both have perfect attendance at their high schools, a rare feat according to Central New York school officials.
Hains, 18, said she’d heard about people in other states getting perfect attendance, and decided to try it herself.
“I thought it was pretty cool,” she said. “Thirteen years is a long time to go without missing a day. Once I got close, I thought maybe I’d get a college scholarship for it. I Googled it every day hoping a college would offer one for perfect attendance in high school.”
But Hains, who will attend Nazareth College in the fall, said she’s happy she did it, especially when she sees others who have missed school carrying stacks of homework.
“I’m blessed to not get really sick enough to miss school,” she said. “Other people get the flu, and I just get colds.”
As this year ends, Hains said others have quizzed her about whether she wishes she’d ever just stayed in bed one morning. She even came to school after being treated for an abscessed tooth.
“I wouldn’t take it back,” she said. “Sleeping in is what weekends are for.”
For Robinson, perfect attendance started out as a competition between her and a cousin in North Carolina. Robinson’s dad had perfect attendance at his high school in another state, so that also motivated her. When her cousin got sick in sixth grade and missed school, Anderson decided to keep going.
“I never really feel sick when I’m sick,” she said. “And I really don’t like missing school. I feel like I’ll get behind.”
Megan’s mom, Deb, said her daughter went to school even when she had strep throat and was taking antibiotics. When she tried to get her to stay home, Megan said she’d just jump out of bed and go to school anyway, her mom said.
At East Syracuse Minoa, senior Katrina Smith was honored by her school for exemplary attendance, as she only missed one day in 13 years. That was because her family insisted she accompany them on a trip to Italy
ESM’s Katrina Smith said her friends didn’t believe she missed only day of school when she was recognized at awards night.
“I never had mono or strep throat, and I went to school even when I broke my arm,” she said. “All my friends wanted me to miss on senior skip day, but I just couldn’t.”
Elizabeth Doran can be reached at edoran@syracuse.com or 470-3012