Photos by Mikala Compton

PGlmcmFtZSB3aWR0aD0iNTYwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjMxNSIgc3JjPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL2VtYmVkL0FZekc2N1pmYzZvIiBmcmFtZWJvcmRlcj0iMCIgYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuPjwvaWZyYW1lPg==

Video by Aaron Messick and Davis Millard

Jaylyn Jenks

Next year’s plan: Attending University of Kansas to study Education and Business

Career plans: Non-profit work with underprivileged children.

NW Activities include: KUGR, Student Council, Basketball

What made you want to pursue a career of helping underprivileged children?

Growing up knowing adversity and not living the typical Johnson County life, like having divorced parents and having your parents struggle, and having multiple siblings made me realize that people need help. My sister is really good at the same thing that I want to do, and she works with at-risk youth in inner city New York, and I just know that that is my calling because everyone needs help, and everyone needs a positive environment and people to encourage them, and that’s what I want to be for people.

What activity that you participate in do you think defines you the most?

It would be Student Council in the aspect of running events because what it is is trying to represent everyone and trying to help the community and get people involved, which is what I want to do when I get older.

What was the greatest accomplishment that you achieved in high school?

What I’m most proud of is probably keeping it all together. I never really had a fallout or a time where I was at the lowest of my lows like people have — I’ve literally just been me. I’ve been pretty steady of who I am throughout high school, and I think that’s the biggest achievement for me because I never want to change who I am, ever, and I didn’t in high school. I always stuck to my morals and to who I am, being respectful and happy. I think that’s my biggest achievement: staying true to myself.

How has high school prepared you for the rest of your life?

I guess in the sense of being around so many different groups of people, it’s prepared me to coexist with everyone and not judging a book by its cover and being tolerant of everyone. And I think that’s what high school has taught me, to just be tolerant and to go with the flow because you have to; if you don’t you’re going to fail in life.

You were named one of the top most influential seniors in the school. Who influences you?

My sister, definitely. My sister is literally the best person in the world. If I could have everyone meet my sister, I would. She is so friendly to everyone and would do anything for anyone. In her life, all she wants to do is help people, and she never thinks about herself. I would say my sister definitely inspires me and influences me to be who I am.

What do you want to be remembered for at Northwest?

Someone who you could get along with. I want people to remember me as someone that anyone could talk to about their problems or about life or anything about sports or music or movies; I just want to be remembered as someone who could always be there for you, not someone who shut out people or only talked to a certain group, like open to everyone.

Interviews by Ashlee Crane