St. Mary High School senior Lily Wilson grew up around health care professionals, and she’s intrigued by the science of the field.
“I’ve al- ways been interested in health care, any health care,” she said. “Everyone in my family is a dentist, a doctor, a nurse — so I’ve seen that throughout the years, and then my neighbor is an audiologist and he’s kind of talked with me about it and I’m really interested in it.”
The 18-year-old Paducah student said she’s between either Western Kentucky University or the University of Kentucky for her undergraduate study. She plans to major in human health sciences, and wants to go on to become an audiologist one day. It’s a career path she recently decided on.
“I’m really interested in learning more about hearing, but I really want to be able to help people, like older, elderly people with hearing aids and other things that come along with audiology,” she said.
Wilson, daughter of Melissa Wilson and the late Dr. Douglas Wilson, of Paducah, is the Paducah Bank Teen of the Week.
Every Tuesday, The Sun publishes articles on area high school seniors who were chosen from a group of nominees for Teen of the Week recognition. Around the end of the school year, a selection committee will name one of these students as Teen of the Year, which carries a $5,000 scholarship. Another student will receive the Inspiration Award and a $1,000 scholarship.
Wilson has earned a 3.63 cumulative weighted GPA at St. Mary.
She is the senior class president, and the leadership role has duties that include working to plan the class trip. She’s been involved with several school clubs and activities at St. Mary, such as the Spanish club, recycling club, investment club, history club, cheerleading and soccer.
Wilson is cheer captain, and played as a right back for the Lady Vikings soccer team. She’s also editor-in-chief for the yearbook.
“It was hard calling cheers, and having to cheer them and then talking to the girls at the same time, so I kind of had to like practice that, but it’s fun cheering on the basketball (players) and then also the pep section behind,” Wilson said.
Overall, she described St. Mary High School as being “really close-knit,” and expressed excitement for the future and college.
“It’s been fun, but it’s also been challenging, as I feel like I’m already ready to go on and move on to a new chapter in my life with college, so like I just have to remember that I have another semester,” she said, on senior year.
“I’m not there yet, but I’m really excited to finish my senior year strong with this last semester and continue planning the senior trip, but then I’m really excited to move on and start a new chapter next year.”
By: Kelly Farrell