For most high schoolers leaving school is a difficult process with a lot of things to be left behind. For senior Paige Nuffer the last four years have been so much more than just an experience. Nuffer has created so many families and relationships from her dance team friends to just her senior class.

Nuffer began high school at Blue Valley West along with many other seniors. Junior year she attended the opening of Southwest and will now be graduating  in a matter of weeks.

“My high school years have been kind of awkward mainly because of the transition,” Nuffer said. “It almost seems like two different things to me, because though I did enjoy West I do enjoy Southwest a lot better.”

While attending Southwest, Nuffer has been part of the Glitter Girls and participated in the CAPS program.  Outside of school, she has danced at Miller Marley for 15 years.

“ If I didn’t dance, then I don’t know what I’d be like now,” Nuffer said. “Dance has literally made me the person that I am today, and I’d be lost without it.”

Some of Nuffer’s earliest memories are of her practicing her routines over and over again until they were right.

“I was very intense about dance when I was little,” Nuffer said. “I wanted to be the best. That stayed with me and has helped me.”

Nuffer has been at Miller Marley longer than some of the teachers, and many of the students. Now that she is going off to college, Nuffer will be leaving Miller Marley.

“It’s going to be very emotional,” Nuffer said. “That studio has become my second home. A lot of the younger kids come up and ask me if I’m going to stay and teach or when I’ll be coming back. Right now, I just don’t know.”

Freshman Eliana Stein has danced with Nuffer on the Glitter Girls dance team at Southwest.

“Paige has not only been an inspiration, but a great friend.” Stein said. “I’ve known her for eight years and her leaving is going to be so hard for all of the people that she knows.”

Nuffer plans to keep dancing in college. She made the Emporia Dance Team.

“I was so ecstatic when I found out.” Nuffer said. “How often do you get to have a dream, then wake up to find that it’s real?”

With the support of many family and friends, Nuffer will follow her dream and passion at Emporia State.