By By SPIROS GALLOS / Niles Daily Star
NILES - For most people, a trip to Hawaii would be a great experience in and of itself.
But when Amanda Grice went to Hawaii this past summer, not only did she get to see the beautiful island state, she also got the chance to do one of the things she loves - play softball.
The 18-year-old Brandywine Middle-High School senior travelled to Hawaii as part of a team assembled by Coast to Coast Athletics, a company which organizes teams to travel to tournaments around the world.
Grice's teammates came from every corner of the United States, she said.
Grice, who lives with her parents, Daniel and Donna, in Niles, said she jumped at the chance to go to Hawaii because she had previously never been out the Michiana area.
During the spring sports season, Grice plays second base for the Brandywine Middle-High School varsity softball team.
Grice has been playing softball since she was 6-years-old.
In addition to being a fun sport, softball has also taught Grice discipline, among other things, she said.
Grice is currently looking to attend Saint Mary's College in South Bend, Ind., where she would like to play softball if she is accepted.
Brandywine varsity softball coach Jim Myers, for whom Grice is also an advanced biology cadet teacher, said Grice works hard in whatever she does.
Myers said Grice is also very mature and thinks things through in a logical manor, helping her do well in her classes.
With a 3.95 grade-point-average and being ranked fourth in her class, Grice is no slouch in the classroom.
In addition to being a cadet teacher for the advanced biology class, Grice also taught a kindergarten class last year.
If she doesn't get accepted at Saint Mary's College, Grice plans to attend Southwest Michigan College for two years to study elementary education before transferring to Western Michigan University to complete her degree.
If given the choice between teaching elementary school and high school, Grice said she enjoys teaching the younger kids more.
Grice also works in the school's guidance office, where she assists the school counselors.
High school counselor Angie Roeder said Grice has an attitude that will serve her well in the future.
When she gets times away from school and sports, Grice enjoys fishing with her father, whom she goes fishing with every chance she gets.
On a recent fishing trip, Grice's boyfriend, Mike Echevarria, caught a snapping turtle and tried to keep it, thinking it might make a good pet, Grice said.
Once the turtle was in the boat, Echevarria decided keeping the turtle might not be such a good idea.
Eventually, Grice's father scooped the turtle into a fishing net and released it back into the lake.