Meet Nicole Mickels, Class of 2019 senior from Peoria Notre Dame High School   The very first time that I met her was a few years ago when I photographed she and her brother during a fall mini session.   I distinctly remember only having 20 minutes to take the pictures and I didn’t want it to end because we had so much fun!  Fast forward to her senior year, and that feeling of not wanting to stop taking Nicole’s photograph continues!!!  Nicole is one of the most genuine senior models and pretty in every way.  Pretty mind, pretty soul, pretty heart, pretty face!

Nicole would describe her personality as ambiverted, ambitious, positive, and creative.  When she first meets someone, she is quiet at first but once she gets to know you, she is fun-loving and outgoing. She loves to smile and once you get her laughing, it’s hard for her to stop.  She values spending time with family and friends and “I always try to honor God in everything I do. People would probably tell you that I’m hardworking, as I put a lot of effort into school and really any task put before me. I love helping others, especially kids and the less fortunate, because I feel that I’m definitely blessed and love to pay those blessings forward.  A moment I’m proud of is being nominated for All-School Council. I appreciate this opportunity given to me by one of my teachers and am humbled that I was chosen to represent my school’s student body.”

“After high school, I would love to attend Duke University or Vanderbilt University and become a pediatric doctor (possibly a cardiologist or an orthopedic surgeon). Sometime after college, I would love to live in New York City for a year (it’s my favorite city). I would also love to live somewhere warm like Tennessee (for the long-term). Overall, I’d love to just make a positive difference in the world and be a smiling face to all I meet.  In my downtime, I enjoy playing piano, traveling, reading, baking, doing hair and riding my bike. I have two pet turtles named Swimmy and Cora. My favorite season is fall because I love how the weather is not too hot but not too cold, and I love football season, too!”

Nicole’s favorite high school class was Chemistry with Mr. Johnson during her sophomore year. She enjoyed getting to do all of the fun experiments and seeing how they connected with that week’s lesson and application to ever day life.   This year, she loved the football games. ” I love cheering on the team in Irish Nation and  performing at halftime under the stadium lights.  In school , she participates on the Dance Team, Student Ambassadors, All-School Council, Lumen Christi Club, and Teens for Life. Outside of school, she participates in dance classes at Center Stage Academy of Dance.  The event she most looks forward to this year is the “partner dance,” where senior guys perform a dance with the dance team at a basketball game. “It’s always a great time, but I’m even more excited for it this year because the guys will be my classmates.”

Nicole would describe her “perfect day” as a crisp fall day in NYC. ” would wake up and go to brunch with my family and friends and then go shopping in Times Square. Later, we would visit Central Park before having dinner in Little Italy and seeing a Broadway show to top off the night.”

Three things on her bucket list 1. Travel to Europe, Asia, and Australia 2. Watch the ball drop in NYC on New Year’s Eve 3. Watch the Summer Olympics live

Here are some of Nicole’s fun facts and favorites!

Family:

1. My hero is my little brother Thomas because he always puts a smile on my face. He always gives great advice, even though he’s only twelve years old. Whenever I’m stressed or nervous about something, he always knows how to make me feel better (usually with one of his funny one-liners).
2. My favorite family trip was our 2012 trip to Keystone, Colorado, because my mom, dad, brother, aunt, uncle, 3 cousins, and I had an old-fashioned Christmas in the mountains. We went skiing, snow tubing, and ice skating at the resort, and we spent time in the outdoor hot tub at our vacation home. We had a Secret Santa ornament exchange and strung popcorn and cranberries to decorate our real Christmas tree. This vacation was very special because it showed me how much the holiday season is about spending quality time with family.
3. Every December, my mom, dad, brother, and I go to The Red Barn in Morton to pick out a real Christmas tree and decorate a wreath. We browse through the store and always get hot chocolate from the Eli’s stand, too.
4. In 2006 when I was in Disney World, I was lucky enough to see the Christmas Day Parade being filmed, so I got to see Beyoncé and Michael Bolton, as well as High School Musical stars Monique Coleman, Corbin Bleu, Lucas Grabeel, and Ashley Tisdale!
5. The best thing about my parents is that they’re super super supportive of me in everything that I do! They always give me great advice and keep life entertaining, too.

 

Food and Style:

1. What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten? Alligator
2. What’s your favorite family recipe?  My mom’s fudge that she makes every Christmas
3. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Sushi
4. What is your favorite fashion trend? Stripes! They are so fun, colorful, and flattering.
5. My favorite color to wear is red because it’s a statement color, and it makes me feel confident.
6. What’s your usual school style? My uniform–a button up shirt with navy or khaki pants, LOL
7. What are your favorite clothing stores to shop at? I really like Dry Goods, Dillards, and Nordstrom. It’s impossible for me to leave those stores empty-handed!

 

This and That:

1. My nicknames include Nic, Mickels, and Nicola-Cola
2. My favorite sport to watch is either basketball or soccer, and my favorite sport to play is softball (I played softball for seven years).
3. What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done? Probably ride the Goliath at Six Flags
4. Some people tell me I look like Shay Mitchell from Pretty Little Liars and Lea Michele from Glee.
5. If you could travel any where in the world where would you want to go?  would take a cruise to the Bahamas. I’ve never been on a cruise or to the Bahamas, so it would be a fun and new experience for me! Warmth and sunshine here I come!
6. Why did you choose Shelby Photography for your senior portraits? My mom and I always used to admire Shelby Photography’s senior pictures from previous years on Facebook and Instagram. We noticed how natural and beautiful all of the photos were. We loved how each senior’s unique personality shone through in their senior session. Also, my brother and I had our pictures taken with Shelby Photography during my sophomore year of high school, and we were so incredibly pleased with how they turned out and how much fun the session was, too! Each senior’s session is unique. Between the outfits, scenery, and poses, each one is different. The pictures are gorgeous and enhance each senior’s natural beauty.