One of the approximately 200 2019 graduates from Jacksonville High School pursues her dream of becoming an early elementary educator. Gracie Jackson chose Illinois State University specifically for their elementary education major’s great reputation and beautiful campus. Despite not looking into too many other colleges, Gracie very quickly knew that ISU was the college she wanted to attend. 

While a student at JHS, Gracie was involved in choir and Madrigals all four years as a soprano 1, where she was a part of the annual Madrigal dinner and went to District multiple times and AllState her senior year, where she was awarded multiple plaques and certificates. She was also a member of the girls’ tennis team from her sophomore to senior year, where she and the team would travel to other high schools around Illinois for matches. Before and during her time at Jacksonville High School, Gracie was very involved in her church and its youth group, where she completed many hours of community service helping families in and around her community. For the majority of her high school career, she was employed at the counter at Rudi’s Grill. 

Gracie expressed that her favorite part of attending Jacksonville High School was choir and the friends she made while being involved in choir and Madrigals because she loves to sing. While she is still unsure where she will live and make a life after college, she doesn’t plan on coming back to Jacksonville because she feels there would be more opportunities for her somewhere else, but she still wants to be close to home and her family. 

If Gracie learned one lesson from her four years at Jacksonville High School it is that students must work hard for what they want to become successful. Not everything comes easy and students may have to work extra to accomplish their goals, but it is all worth it once they are successful at whatever they were once only hoping to complete.

If any of you are wanting to look into possibly becoming an early elementary educator, let Gracie be an example to pursuing those dreams.