Zenobia Cardwell’s first love is sports, a passion that was instilled in her by her late uncle.

She’s been a soccer player, a ballet dancer, and most recently a cheerleader at Thomas Jefferson High School where she is also part of the International Baccalaureate Program.

Now, as a high school senior, she wants to move on to study public relations and marketing at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., to ultimately become a sports agent. “Originally my goal was to go to school for communications and I wanted to be on the radio but something inside of me just said, ‘I love sports’,” Cardwell said.

Her uncle, who passed away last year, was the main source of encouragement for Cardwell’s career and college major choice. “(My uncle) was heavily involved in sports at his university and he just kind of really wanted me to do something I loved and I love being involved with sports,” she said.

In addition to sports, Cardwell spends her time with various school and community service activities, including National Honor Society, National Beta Club, serving as a cheerleading coach at Henderson Middle School and volunteering with the Special Olympics.

“I love helping out with the Special Olympics because they are just near and dear to my heart,” Cardwell said. “I saw the sign up one day and I had been wanting to do it so I said, you know what, I’m just going to go for it, so I signed up and I went to the first meeting and I just fell in love.”

In addition to all her school-related activities, Cardwell has found time to help with the city as well. She has participated in Mayor’s Youth Academy since May 2010, which affords young Richmonders an opportunity for job exploration, skill development and other semi-professional experiences.

For Cardwell, she received an important assignment last year when she was elected as the Youth Mayor in the organization. As Youth Mayor, it became Cardwell’s job to introduce Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones before his State of the City address.

“(Cardwell) handled this assignment with confidence and grace, representing not only city of Richmond youth, but also … representing one of the Mayor’s signature programs,” said Leah D. Walker, the program director of the Mayor’s Youth Academy.

While she is ready to pursue her dream career in college, Cardwell still has a few months of her senior year in the IB Diploma Program, which requires exams in early May.

The program is an internationally recognized college preparatory magnet program. Right now, Cardwell said she is most interested in her English class and an introductory philosophy class called Theory of Knowledge. “(Theory of Knowledge) kind of challenges your thinking and the way you think and how you think,” she said.

The challenge is something Cardwell is willing to take on, though. “I would say I am simply a unique young lady with an extraordinary personality,” Cardwell wrote in an application letter. “This personality is derived from the ambition that pushes me to be better than the person sitting next to me. This ambition comes from my will to never give up.”