Oneda plans to continue her volunteer work when she heads to college this fall. After also considering Columbia University, Oneda decided on Johns Hopkins.

"When I visited Hopkins, I really got along with the coach and the girls on the team," Oneda said. "It was like I was already there, so I went with my gut."

Her major will be Global Environmental Change and Sustainability.

"My family has always been into organic gardening," Oneda explained. "We've always been environmentally conscious, and not just recycling. We really pay attention to what's going on, in terms of the waste and the consumerism and the way our society works. ... It's how I grew up, wanting to get involved in society in a different way."

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Oneda's environmental awareness and advanced worldview led her to choose a major that can take her in several directions.

"When I discovered this major, it found that it was perfect for me," Oneda said. "I definitely knew that I wanted to be involved in something that was important. I can go into the environmental concentration, which is where the scientists work. The other side is the social concentration, which is where you deal with governmental policies. Each of these concentrations cannot live without the other."

She will continue her running with the Blue Jays, who belong to the Centennial Conference. While she led Winters Mill to a fourth-place finish at last fall's cross country championships, Oneda longs to be part of a team championship.

She will have that chance at Hopkins, where the Blue Jay women's cross country team finished 14th at last fall's NCAA Division III championship meet.

"(The girls' team) didn't win a team championship at Winters Mill," Oneda said. "I watched our guys win three state titles in a row. I want to win at nationals."

About this award

Since fall 2007, The Carroll Eagle has presented this award to a Carroll County student-athlete at the conclusion of the fall, winter, and spring sports seasons. The publication also presents an overall Student-Athlete of the Year award at the end of the school year. All student-athletes who compete at the varsity level for a Carroll County public school are eligible for the award, which is based on academic achievement, athletic achievement, and a record of service and good citizenship in the school and community.