Meet Class of 2021 “almost graduate” from Peoria Christian High School, Ava Dietrich!!  In fact, tomorrow is her last day of school!!

Ava has been a leader on our Shelby Senior Team from the moment we started last year.  She is encouraging, kind, genuine, sweet, totally funny, a great listener and communicator, and really, really sassy in the very best way!  She puts her whole heart into her friendships and building others up.  I will miss her deeply and have loved every moment with her.

This fall, Ava plans on attending Olivet Nazarene University to study multimedia communications with a focus in live event media.  When she was a little girl, she dreamed of being a pop star! ☺️

In the first start of quarantine, Ava and her grandmother sewed over 300 masks and she acquired 18 service hours for school. “We gave our masks to healthcare workers and those at risk and hospitals. My mom and I also spent alot of time selling Color Street Nails. We started a business called Aesthetic Designs by Ava and Darbi. We go to vendor events, host parties, and run a FB page for our business.”

Ava has been very active in school. She is part of the worship team, and she has been on the Cheer Team, played volleyball, and managed the baseball team with her friend. She also enjoys playing guitar, singing , taking Jeep rides, and trips to Target!

Her favorite teacher was Mrs. Sullivan because “her and I have a lot in common. She is easy to talk to and easy to learn from. She explains lessons well while also allowing us to have fun. She is also there when I need someone to talk to or just a simple hug. My favorite subject is Math, which is what Mrs. Sullivan teaches. Math has always come easy to me and I’ve had a lot of good teachers along the way. My favorite kind of Math is Algebra and Trigonometry.

Her favorite school event is prom because “I LOVE to dance and sing. I also love getting my hair done and doing my my makeup. I also get to spend the night with all of my friends.  Outside of school, I help lead worship at Vale Church for their youth group on Wednesday nights. I have volunteered at Helping Hands Resale Shop, the St. Jude runs, and a lot of other families that need help with yard work, cleaning, etc.”

“My most memorable moment this past year was definitely our senior retreat. Every year, the graduating class at PCS goes on a retreat. We went to Oklahoma this year. Before the retreat my class was very divided and we all had our specific friend groups, and we didn’t stray far from that. The retreat brought us all together and now we all hangout at school and even outside of school. It’s super cool to see how one short week can leave such an impact on people.”

I would describe my “perfect day” like this: “I would start my day with a caramel machiatto from Starbucks. Then I would go to Childer’s Eatery with my boyfriend and get s’mores french toast. Then I would head over to my friend, Emily’s, house and put on Color Street nails. I would have a huge dance party with all of my friends and maybe some karaoke. I would end my day by snuggling with my dogs.

“My hero is my mom because she is the strongest person I know. She has taught me how have an open heart and mind towards people but also stick up for myself and others in a loving way. She is very strong in what she believes in and has passed that trait onto me. She has taught me how to have difficult conversations which I will be forever grateful. She is also a breast cancer survivor. When she was going through chemo, I don’t remember a time when she showed that she was in pain or feeling weak. She always stayed strong and kept it together for my brothers and I.

My Mom attended every volleyball, basketball, softball game, dance recital, dance competition, practice, and rehearsal of mine. She is so supportive of me and always got me where I needed to go. My Dad also taught me the useful things you don’t learn in school. Such as how to put on a spare tire, grill, drive a manual, and manage money.”

“If I could eat only one meal for the rest of my life, I would eat Knuckle’s Hawaiian pizza with my grandma’s homemade rolls and apple butter.  My favorite restaurant is Pho Noodle House. I love their Crab Rangoon and Bubble Tea. I always get their Orange Chicken, it’s the best around. My favorite dessert is dirt cake or cheesecake, my favorite candy is Mike & Ik’s and my favorite drink is either raspberry green tea or any kind of coffee.”

Favorite Quote: “God is good all the time. All the time God is good”

I am most proud of staying true to who I am and who I want to be. At my old school I watched many of my childhood friends go down bad paths and get into toxic friendships and relationships. I remained true to myself and my values which then lead me to PCS where I could surround myself with good people and grow closer to Christ.

“My favorite family trip was to a lake in Wisconsin. I was very young so I don’t remember much but I do remember that there was a game room instead of the garage. We all got to fish off the dock and on my Dad’s boat. I also remember this “talking fish” on the wall and my brother and I thought it was the most funny thing in the world! My favorite childhood memory is, every summer my grandparents would us kids down to southern Illinois to see my cousins. My cousins lived on a plantation and every morning we would go feed the chickens and get their eggs. We also drove four wheelers, golf carts, and ATV’s around. My cousin also made homemade fried chicken!”

Three things on my bucket list include skydiving, holding a sloth, and rescuing/adopting a dog.

I have two dogs, Tug and Wrigley. Tug is a 12 year old yellow lab. I promise you he is the sweetest dog you will ever meet. He also has the biggest head you’ll probably see. He is deaf and has arthritis but he still loves to run (very short distances and only for food) but hey, he tries. He would totally be a lap dog if he didn’t weigh 90 Ibs. Wrigley is a 4 year old yorkie poo. He loves to bark at anything that moves outside. He is our 15 Ib protection dog. He can be playful and full of energy or the perfect napping buddy, whichever you need!

My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving! While my Dad and brothers go hunting, my mom and I are home and drink out coffee together while watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. We always put up our Christmas tree on Thanksgiving. My grandma also makes her homemade rolls and my other grandma brings apple butter from Tanner’s. After dinner we play fun games like Jenga, Bop-it, Catch Phrase, Spoons, or watch football.