Falling through the sky with style, Grace Zagoria makes it look easy.

“That’s what everybody asks me,” Zagoria laughed. “Everyone’s always like, ‘Aren’t you afraid? How does it feel?’”

But this three-time Public Schools Athletic League city champion didn’t clear 11 feet and 6 inches overnight.

“To me, pole vaulting is hard work and dedication,” Zagoria said.

What You Need To Know

  • Grace Zagoria joined the cross country team her freshman year at Bronx Science, and was singled out by her track coach to be a pole vaulter

  • Zagoria was nervous at first, but realized just how much she loved it during the pandemic. She will now be jumping in college at Davidson

  • Zagoria also excels in the classroom using her love of international affairs to fuel her community service and the clubs she joins

This Bronx High School of Science athlete joined the cross-country team as a freshman. 

“Right off the bat, I could tell that she was going to be a good pole vault athlete,” said Marlene Payton, the track coach at Bronx Science. “Just based on her ability and her hard work. And when I brought it up to her, she kind of paused and looked at me. And then she was like, ‘Okay, I’ll give it some thought.’”

“And my first thought was, ‘I’m gonna break my nose,’” Zagoria admitted. ”I can say that at my first meet the bar was set at 5 feet, which is relatively low for a track meet and I did not make that height. You get three jumps and I hit it every time…But I’m glad I stuck with it.”

Now, this high school senior is setting a school record, not only in pole vault, but also in the 4 by 100 relay. As co-captain, she is committed to helping others strive for their best.

“It’s really awesome. She’s been like really supportive and you get a lot of good tips and tricks from her,” said Maddy Duong, a freshman track member who just started pole vaulting this year.

Even during the height of the pandemic, Zagoria rallied around her classmates, emphasizing the importance of discipline. She helped bring students together across all sports teams for hour-long workouts via Zoom.

This scholar also goes the extra mile in the classroom. Driven by her love of international studies, Zagoria has taken multiple Advanced Placement courses and participates in the Spanish debate club and the current events club. She spends what little free time she has tutoring two Ukrainian students in English.

“I just like learning about people,” Zagoria said. “Like, I like asking people questions and I like getting to know them. And I think there’s so many different perspectives out there.”

Grace Zagoria is headed to Davidson College next year, where she will continue to soar on the track and in the classroom studying international affairs. She’s ready to set the bar high, with the commitment and dedication to clear it.