Columbia High School senior Sara Burke finds life complicated.

But she doesn't let it get her down.

"Worrying about things doesn't fix them," she said.

Instead, her philosophy is to stay busy. And busy she is.

Burke, 17, plays alto saxophone in the school band, sings in the school chorus, competes on the girls tennis team, is a cheerleader and will appear in the role of Lenore, "a power-hungry editor," in the fall play, "To Wake the Dead."

A member of St. Peter's Catholic Church in Columbia, she sings in the church choir. And until it closed for the season, she worked at the Dairy Queen in Columbia.

Burke is a member of National Honor Society and student council at Columbia High. And she was this year's homecoming queen.

Her senior course schedule includes honors English and history through Harrisburg Area Community College.

Her favorite subject is science. She's taking biology 2 now.

But her true love is drawing, even though she has never had a formal art class.

"My schedule never allowed for it," she said.

A natural athlete, she began playing basketball in second grade but gave it up last year because her heart wasn't in it.

"It wasn't my sport," she said. "Life happens."

Before switching to the tennis team, now in its second year, she played softball for Columbia High for two years.

She runs for fun and "to work things out when they get bottled up." She is contemplating joining the track team in the spring.

Burke has been playing the alto saxophone since fourth grade. But this is her first year as a cheerleader.

"I could never see myself doing it, so I had to try it," she said. "I don't know. I can't make sense of what I do. It just sort of happens."

The accomplished actress has performed in school musicals and plays since seventh grade. Last Christmas season, she appeared in a Columbia dinner theater.

From seventh to 11th grade she performed in the Columbia Haunted Lantern Tour, but she couldn't fit it into her busy schedule this year.

Her "dream school" is Notre Dame, but Kutztown, Penn State and Millersville universities also are on her list of possibilities.

She plans to study animation and business in college and one day open a bed and breakfast.

"I've got this all planned out. I call it my start-up plan. I want to go to college, become an animator and a business woman, save money, then open a B&B" — or rather, a "bed and dinner."

"There are so many B&Bs, I may as well change it up."

After college, she plans to go "far and away."

I can't see myself living here," she said. "I want to travel and see the world."

Burke said people tell her she gives good advice.

"I'm a good listener," she said. "I'd rather listen than talk.

"I'm easygoing. I go with the flow. I don't need hassles. I don't like drama. People make a bigger deal of things than they need to be."

In her spare time, Burke enjoys listening to music. Her favorite song is Elton John's "Your Song."

She admits to being "very spacey, in la-la-land" sometimes.

"My teachers know I can zone out," she said. "My mind is very scattered.

"But I truly care about other people more than myself. I'd rather see other people happy than be happy myself.

"If someone is having an awful day and you can make them laugh, that just makes you feel you've done some good."

Burke is the daughter of Stephen and Christine Burke, of Columbia, and has one brother, James, 23.