When she isn’t doing Calculus homework or hanging out her roommates, you can find Zariah Wright out on the field playing soccer with the rest of the MSMS Lady Blue Waves. Wright has been a proud member of the soccer team since she applied and was accepted to MSMS.

Wright is a native of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the city of the “Golden Eagles.” There, she attended Hattiesburg High School, where she was a member of the varsity volleyball team and the National Technical Honors Society; however, Wright felt she was not getting a quality education, so she applied to the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science.

“I needed a harder challenge for myself, academically. My school did not offer much of anything. It was much too easy to gain an A.”

At Hattiesburg High, Wright was a member of the volleyball team. Coming to MSMS, Wright was aware that the school was not big on sports. However, she branched out to try a game she never played before—soccer with the MSMS Blue Waves. She hasn’t stopped since.

“I started playing soccer because I missed playing volleyball a lot at my old school. I saw my roommate having so much fun playing soccer, so I figured it could not be that much of a difference.”

During her leisure time, Wright enjoys reading books, hanging out with her roommates, and participating in different club activities as a way to de-stress, other than sports. She is a faithful member of Blue Diamondz, the school’s all-girl step team, and Wags and Whiskers. Being involved in both sports and clubs can be extremely time-consuming, especially at MSMS, but Wright manages to get everything done.

“I usually start my week by writing all of my meeting times in my planner. If I have homework or a project due on the same day as a meeting, I start on my work as soon as possible. I don’t like rushing to get things done.”

While balancing school and sports, Wright manages to spend time with her close friends. She always has time for a quick therapy session to make sure that her friends are okay. Teammates and friends can vouch that she is a great person on and off the field; she doesn’t let a day go by without letting her friends know she’s there for them.

“In my times of trouble, Zariah has always been there for me.  I was going through a tough time this year, and Zariah opened up her room for me to come in and talk about it.  She supported me through it and continued to support me through it today. I am so thankful to have her in my life,” said Wright’s friend Kerrigan Clark.

To juniors, Wright advises them to manage their time wisely and to always put school first: “School and sports often interfere with one another, so time management is a great skill to obtain. It is always easy to get caught up with school and sports, but remember you came to MSMS for an education.”