More than just an education

More+than+just+an+education

Amelia Keller, Reporter

“There is more to ‘education’ than just schooling,” said CCA alum and family lawyer, Laura Lockwood,

Lockwood loved her time at CCA. She was in NHS and student council and was also involved in athletics. Clear Creek Amana softball teams made it to State all five years she was eligible. Her favorite classes were science with Mr. Muhlenbruck, math with Mrs. Astor, and Spanish with Ms. Meister. Lockwood said if she could have changed one thing, she would have been more involved in the Fine Arts programs offered at CCAHS. She said that now, twenty years post-graduation, she sees the importance of being skilled in performing and crafting a skill.

Lockwood attended the University of Iowa on a softball and academic scholarship. Throughout high school she thought she didn’t want to stay in Iowa for college. She went on college visits to the University of Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Iowa State, and “none of them compared to Iowa.” 

“I’m so happy I ended up at the University of Iowa and that I got the chance to play softball there,” stated Lockwood, “The highlight of my career there was making it the College World Series my freshman year.”

Lockwood originally studied on a pre-med track. She later switched her major to Psychology with a minor in Sociology. She focused on Child Development and completed her Honors’ Thesis on language development. After graduating college, Lockwood took both the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) and the GRE (Graduate Record Examination). Lockwood still wasn’t sure what she wanted to do, so she took a year off of school to work. She calls this one of the best decisions she ever made. In the end, she chose law school at Drake University. 

Lockwood now lives in Des Moines, Iowa with her husband, two kids, and a dog. Her work weeks include organizing facts and evidence, preparing witness testimony, presenting legal arguments for judges to consider, mediating, and attending hearings. Outside of work she enjoys yoga, walking her dog, reading, playing with her kids, and live music. 

Lockwood says that at CCA she learned how to be apart of a community, how to be a better friend, and how to have a great work ethic, specifically on the softball team.

“We worked incredibly hard, and we accomplished so much together,” explained Lockwood, “Yet, it was still important to commit to individual goals and successes – and to become a unique individual. All goals required time-commitments and required time-management skills. I developed those skills in high school and that has translated into my life today. The biggest lessons I learned from CCA were to not take life too seriously, to enjoy the moments right in front of you, and to appreciate your friends.”