Meet the inspiring, quirky, cute, spunky, fun, Class of 2019 senior from Richwoods HS, Morgan Lott!  I’ve been taking pictures of her since she was a little girl, and I’m having trouble accepting the fact that she is now a senior in high school!  She is one of the most interesting senior I have ever photographed. I can’t help but think she will be famous one day!

Morgan would describe her personality as confident and she knows who she is as a person.  “I’m very weird, and get even weirder when I’m with my friends. I am very hard on myself when it comes to school and personal goals, but I think that is also a good thing. My intelligence is my favorite characteristic.”   This year, she is most looking forward to the Fall play and Spring musical because she will be assistant to the director along with a few of her best friends who will also be in leadership positions. “I worked for this position for three years, and I am very excited.”  Besides being involved with the school plays and musicals, Morgan also participates in Interact Club, Spanish Club, and Journalism Club. She is an IB Diploma Candidate, and Dog walker at PCAP’s. She loves to read, hang out with friends, make short films, and spend time with her dog.   Her favorite school event would be either the homecoming Powder Puff game which she says is a “super sexist name btw. why can’t it just be ‘woman’s tag football??” and bonfire during homecoming week.  “It’s a  great night to hang out with friends and just enjoy our school. I also love the interact club’s Halloween knight, when we all dress up and decorate the school for children to come trick or treat at Richwoods if they cannot do it safely in their neighborhood. We collect canned food to donate, and all have a great time.”

Morgan is very good at history and really enjoyed IB History of the Americas class her junior year. “The teacher Mr. Hayes was an extremely fun teacher, but he also treated us like young adults with valid ideas, as opposed to children who he had to get to think the same way he did. We also debated many controversial topics in his class, such as the use of the a-bomb, and affirmative action.”  As far as advice to incoming freshman: “It does not matter what anybody thinks of you. Find the people that support and love you for who you truly are, and stick with them. There’s no need for drama and conflict because high school is hard enough, so spread love and positivity. Also, grades DO NOT define you. Do the best that you can, and be proud of your personal progress.”

This is how Morgan would describe her “perfect day” – ” would wake up around noon, and get Casey’s breakfast pizza and a giant diet coke with my mom. Then I would go to the beach (Oak Run Lake) with my mom, brother, sister, cousins, grandma, and aunt. We would hang out at the beach, then go tubing and watch the sun go down on the boat. We would go out to eat, then come home and watch a movie before going to bed.”

Three things on her bucket list include: 1. Becoming Dr. Lott 2. Give a Ted Talk 3. Adopt special needs dogs and give them lots of love that they deserve!

“My hero is Michelle Obama. She is such a strong woman, who works tirelessly to help others. She was an amazing first woman who supported her husband in his duties, while having her own career and goals.”

A moment she is most proud of is: “This past May, me and a few of my friends won the Outstanding Youth Leader in Violence Prevention Award from the Center for Prevention of Abuse and Verizon. After the Parkland Florida shooting, a few of my friends and I organized a silent sit-in for our school to honor the lives that were lost. Over 1000 students participated, as we sat silently in the hallways for 17 minutes. Then, on April 20th, which was the 19th anniversary of Columbine, we presented a tv assembly to the entire school about gun violence and the ways that we can work together to prevent further massacres from occurring. For us, the award wasn’t the best part of this experience. We just really wanted to help in this cause, as gun violence and gun control are things that we are extremely passionate about.”

FAMILY:

“My mom is the most selfless person I know. She always puts us first, while still making sure that I don’t grow up to be a spoiled brat. She will do anything to make me smile, even driving to Hyvee at 11 at night to get me a pop and a Reese’s if I had a bad day.”

Favorite holiday tradition: “My dad started the tradition of ‘The Great Turkey’. Every year on Thanksgiving morning, the great turkey runs into me and my sibling’s rooms and pours gravy on our heads before running out, all while gobbling loudly like a turkey. I have a love/hate relationship with this tradition.

My favorite family trip was to Chicago. We go to Chicago every summer with my cousins, aunt, and grandma for a girls weekend. Its a great tradition and we always have so much fun.”

What is your favorite childhood memory? “Swimming with dolphins in Florida when i was 12. I had dreamed of swimming with dolphins since I was in 1st grade and it was totally worth the wait.”

FOOD:

What’s your favorite family recipe? “Cheesy potato casserole because there is no bad way to eat a potato, and swedes can make casserole like nobody’s business!”

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Beef stroganoff

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten? Crocodile

RANDOM: 

Nickname that friends or family call you?  “Mo or Morgs”

If you could travel any where in the world where would you want to go? “Sweden, because that is where my family is from AND it’s gorgeous.”

What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?  “I don’t really do daring things, but this past year I waited outside after a concert until 2am to meet my favorite band on a school night.”

What are your goals after high school? Attend University of Illinois and major in Psychology/Neuroscience

Who is your favorite singer and/or band or song? “Hippocampus is my favorite band. They are a small band from Minneapolis, and they were my first concert last October. We actually got to meet them, which was awesome because they are really cool guys. They even partnered with Planned Parenthood on their last tour which was AWESOME!”

Tell something random and fun about yourself:  was born 6 weeks early and only weighed 4 pounds