FREEPORT — Safe to say, Rebecca Dudek packs a lot into life.

The Freeport senior is about to become a four-year letter winner in track and field. She's already earned four letters in swimming and cross country.

She plays the trumpet in marching band, also takes part in symphonic and jazz band.

She's participated in the Teens Against Tobacco Use and Bible Study clubs at Freeport.

If all of that's not enough, she carries a 4.69 grade point average and works weekends at Rosebrook Nursing Home, where she's involved in entertainment.

“We all have a certain amount of time in the day. It's about what we choose to fill it up with,” Dudek said. “I enjoy doing what I'm doing.

“My job at the nursing home is making the residents happy, being a bingo caller or whatever ... That's a privilege.”

Dudek's busy life has landed her one of four WPIAL Scholar-Athlete $5,000 scholarship awards for the 2013-14 school year. She will join Olivia Lorusso of Canon-McMillan, Nicholas Pattock of Burrell and Zachary Dysert of Fort Cherry in receiving her award at a WPIAL Board of Control luncheon May 19.

Dudek will be attending Clarion University, where she will major in environmental biology, minor in French, run track and cross country.

Dudek was one of two females among 70 applicants to be selected for the $5,000 scholarship.

“I was so honored. It didn't take much time for it to sink in,” she said of hearing the news. “I tried to keep my composure in the principal's office, but before I went back to chorus practice, I stopped in the bathroom.

“I looked around, saw no one was in there, jumped up and down about 20 times and screamed silently. I was so happy. I love Freeport and am so proud to have done this for the school.”

Dudek becomes the fourth Freeport athlete to win the $5,000 scholarship award in five years. Alex Isenberg won it in 2010, Anna Christy in 2011 and Brendan Lynch last year. Sean Carson won a $500 scholarship in 2012.

“I'm very proud that it's a scholar-athlete award,” said Dudek's mother, Lori, who is also her high school swim coach. “This covers her whole career because she's so strong academically.

“She's an all-around person. Freeport's been blessed to have so many quality student-athletes over the years.”

Eight Freeport athletes have earned WPIAL Scholar-Athlete awards since 2005.

“Rebecca is such a hard worker, she's just non-stop,” Freeport cross country coach Bob Livrone said. “Her work ethic is incredible. There are times I have to tell her to take it easy, to back off and just let it happen.

“She's earned this award. She works hard at all three sports and in the classroom. She is the epitome of what a scholar-athlete is all about.”

While Dudek is a two-time state qualifier in the 4x800 relay, a three-time top 20 finisher in WPIAL cross country and a member of two WPIAL team track championships, her two favorite sports memories involve none of those.

“When I was 10 and on the YMCA team, I wanted to swim the 50-yard freestyle in under 30 seconds,” she recalled. “I had never wanted anything so bad in my life at that point.

“At the state meet, I was the first swimmer in the relay and I finally did it. My coach signaled to me and I just reacted ... That's my favorite sports memory ever.”

“My second favorite memory was finishing the WPIAL cross country meet my junior year, getting 11th when it was 85 degrees. They kept stopping the race for ambulances as kids were passing out. I finished and don't know how I did it. I think I blacked out after the race.”

Dudek also recalled running the 3,200 meter race at the WPIAL team finals one year, after competing in the 800 and 1,600.

“I'm not even a two-miler, I'm not very good at it,” she said. “With a mile to go, I was gassed. But I had to stay in front of the girl right behind me for us to get second place as a team.

“Our team's hopes were resting on my quads. Hearing their cheering, the encouragement, it got me through. That's what sports are all about.

“Learning about leadership, success, failure, overcoming things, working hard ... It all been worth it for me,” she added.