Kynli Sky, an Idabel High School cheerleader, sophomore class president and academic bowl’er, is a fanatic reader and even a casual poet.

“I have an uncle that died 8 years ago from suicide,” Sky said. “The cruel world just got him, and I hate that. He was my favorite person, and he lived with us, so he was like my father figure. He was and still is my role model, so I choose to live for him and inspire people to always be kind.”

Eric Carper died at 35. Sky described herself as the “niece that turned out to be a lot like him in most ways.”

Carper often wrote poetic notes to his sister, Sky’s mother, Kisha Carper-Williams. But Sky never gave much thought to writing until her English teacher gave her and her classmates a poetry assignment earlier this school year.

“I did the assignment and then continued to write more that wasn’t an assignment,” Sky said. “I did it on my own time.”

Sky’s world views, which she inherited both from her uncle and mother, inform her poetry. She’s a “firm believer” in kindness and believes “having a beautiful heart is much better than having a beautiful face.”

“A lot of people fight silent battles, so it’s best and it’s important to always be kind,” Sky said.

“My mom has always taught me to be kind. . . If it weren’t for her, I’d definitely not be the person I am today.”

“The more people you’re kind to, the bigger the chain gets and more people learn to be kind.”

Sky’s first poem, “Silky,” described the silk blanket her mother gave her years ago:

Comfy and cozy, it makes me feel warm.
Sadly, the blanket is all torn.
But, despite its noticeable cosmetic blemishes, Sky’s endearment towards the blanket hasn’t
wavered; it has grown stronger. Its scars, like hers, are an indication of the hardships which she
has endured and conquered.
The faded pink cover,
I got it from mother.
To keep the bad dreams away,
She got a blanket, so I wouldn’t fear for the boogie man to stay.
Sky continued.
To this day, you put me to sleep,
You always make me feel better when I weep.
Silky, I’ll love you until the day I die,
Because my uncle in heaven has his silky in the sky.

Sky considers herself a people-pleaser by nature. When she cheers, she steals the show when she puts her tumbling skills on display during timeouts at basketball games. On Idabel’s academic team, she handles questions on various subjects, including literature, entertainment and chemistry.

“I’m definitely not the best person ever at quiz bowl, but I’m pretty successful and bring some success when we compete,” Sky said.

Sky also is a member of National Honor Society and FCCLA and is a Superintendent’s Honor Roll student.

In all that she does, she honors her late uncle. He wore No. 22 when he played baseball. She wore the same number when she played basketball and it remains a lucky number for her.