Demi Agaiby has a message for Kenosha Unified students: don't wait for college to start building the skills that matter most.
Agaiby, a 2015 Tremper High School graduate, is now a sport psychology practitioner and the founder and director of Beyond Horizons Performance, a mental performance consulting practice based in Deerfield, Illinois. She was featured in KUSD's "Beyond the Tassel" alumni spotlight published Tuesday, Oct. 20.
In the profile, Agaiby advised current students to start developing what she called their "toolbox" well before graduation. She listed effective study techniques, communication, leadership, time management and self-advocacy as skills that matter more than grades alone.
"These skills will take you further than any GPA or AP course ever could," Agaiby said in the KUSD profile.
Agaiby's path from Tremper to sport psychology ran through dance. She earned a B.A. in dance and a B.S. in psychology from Loyola University Chicago, according to her practice's website. During her performance career she faced injuries, burnout and performance anxiety, which led her to discover the field of sport and performance psychology.
She went on to earn a master's degree in sport and exercise psychology from California State University, Long Beach. Shortly after completing that degree, she founded Beyond Horizons Performance, which has since worked with hundreds of athletes and performers nationwide, according to the company's site.
Her work extends beyond one-on-one consulting. Agaiby has presented at national organizations including the National Dance Education Organization and the National Dance Coaches Association.
Back in Kenosha, Agaiby named Tremper teacher Polly Amborn as her favorite. She described Amborn in the district profile as someone who "consistently led with passion, humility, charisma, and honesty."
The full alumni profile is available on the KUSD website.
