Potential Magazine summer 2013 | Page 31

teen spotlight photography by Nikki P. notable being voted Miss St. Jude quotable “If I could be famous for one thing, it would be for finding a cure for cancer.” her story This spunky St. Jude senior is as pretty on the inside as she is on the outside. Having her peers vote to name her Miss St. Jude proves how others hold her in high esteem, and while she’s confident, she was surprised by the honor. “Being named Miss St. Jude was something I did not expect to accomplish, and it is so humbling,” she said. “The title means I am the representative for our entire school, and that’s a big deal.” Her winning smile, outgoing personality, honor-roll and National Honor Society grades, leadership roles like class president and a long list of activities including dance team, Bridge Builders, garden club, Rosa Park Museum Ambassador, St. Jude choir and more make her a stellar spokesperson for her school. paging Dr. Gary While she appreciates the title her classmates gave her, she’s already looking ahead to attending Xavier University in New Orleans. Despite some definite distractions in the Big Easy, she’ll tackle a pre-med major before going on to pursue a career as a neo-natal intensive care doctor. “It will be hard to buckle down in a fun place like New Orleans, but I can do it,” she said. She chose medicine after her grandmother fell ill. “When I visited her in the hospital, I saw how hard all the doctors and nurses worked to help her, and I knew that was what I wanted to do, and I want to do it for infants.” PG (parental guidance) rating “My parents always pushed me to work harder and never asked me questions like “why do you want to do that?” They have always stood behind me, and I know I can talk to them about anything; they are always there. Even though my dad travels a lot, he’s just a phone call away. And I will always appreciate all they do for me; they have worked hard so I can have a better life.” tyler gary parents’ perspective Tyler’s dad Ezekel is retired military and set high standards for his daughter, standards she has met at every step. “Tyler has always made her dad and me very proud,” her mom Jacqueline said. “She has always taken her education very seriously.” Jacqueline believes the best thing she and her husband have given Tyler is love and a firm footing. “We have always given her lots of love and support, but we have also set a strong family and religious foundation for her to stand on.” parent to parent “Always communicate with your teens. Offer guidance and support when needed. Make sure they know they can always come to you for any reason.” -Jacqueline Gary www.potentialmagazine.com 31