A brief glimpse into the life of Kristina Vidziunas

Students at Aurora High School have experiences different from many others. Senior Kristina Vidziunas has a unique life outside of school evolving around her Lithuanian heritage and the Lithuanian community.

Kristina said, “There’s a lithuanian community in cleveland, it’s the third largest in the US. My parents did it when they were younger so it has been passed down.”

The Lithuanian community is highly focused on the arts, allowing Kristina to get involved with both a dance group and choir. She also attends Lithuanian school where she learns more about the history and language. Kristina also participates in the Lithuanian scouts.

Kristina said, “The dance group is all kids- Jonai are from ages 10-14, Studentai are from high school-college. It has been a lot fun, I’ve met kids from all over the world in the group. It’s a very bonding experience because everyone has fun and we all hang out with each other as much as we dance together.”

Kristina is involved in the Lithuanian choir as well as our schools choir and a capella group. She says they differ rather strongly, “[The Lithuanian choir] feels more like a family because everyone has grown up together and has known each other for a long time. For example, A Mentor that I’m really close to is one of the original choir members and has been in choir since he was 17, he’s 45 now.”

Kristina attends Lithuanian school to become more educated about her heritage. There she learns the language and grammar, history, and current events. Kristina said, “I can speak [the language] for the most part now. Growing up, I heard it around the house and now I go to school to learn it more in depth.”

While heavily involved in the Lithuanian community, Kristina has professional aspirations outside of it. She said, “My degree is biomed engineering. I’d love to work with veterans or kids with prosthetics. I'd Like to work for the government someday as well.”

Moving forward in her life, Kristina maintains a positive attitude towards her future endeavours. She says, “I’m a pretty independent person, I love to try new things and I’m never afraid to go outside my comfort zone. I try to be a positive person overall.”