Jessica Hartwig has a brother Jake (26), a sister Alex (23), a mom and dad. She loves going to the lake and enjoys paddleboarding, wakeboarding, surfing and “just relaxing.” When Hartwig was younger, she wanted to be a veterinarian because she loves animals, but over the years she has changed her mind many times, finally deciding on a first-grade teacher at a big school “far away from Iowa.” Hartwig currently helps in some classes at Washington Elementary and plans to attend Iowa State University for elementary education.

Breaking a state record for the first time in swimming was a big moment in her life. “It set the stage for my swimming career,” Hartwig said. She was very happy and excited and her family, friends and coach were very proud of her. In her last season of swimming, Hartwig made two appearances on the State podium: one individual event and one relay. All of her hard work and long hours of swimming had paid off. Hartwig’s coach, Dean Junker, has been someone who has impacted her life greatly. Junker has been her swim coach since she was six years old and he been a great role model for her. He has seen her strive to be the great swimmer and person she is today.

During Hartwig’s free time, she enjoys watching Parks and Recreations with her dog Halas, and her favorite movies are the Harry Potter series. She loves her dog greatly and they spend a great deal of time together. Hartwig said her dog is considered a hunting dog but is also scared of “a lot of things like cats and little dogs.”