Meet the happy-go-lucky, beautiful, outgoing, fun-filled, beautiful, Class of 2019 senior from Peoria Notre Dame High School, Alyssa Gallup.

Alyssa is the definition of true beauty inside out!  Photographing her senior pictures at her home was a wonderful experience!!  We were surrounded by breathtaking landscapes and her sweet dog, Lucy…two tiny, AUH-dorable kittens, and the cutest grandpa EVER.   It just doesn’t get any better than that!

Alyssa is a soccer player and also loves to listen to music, draw, and she’s obsessed with makeup!  After graduation, she plans on attending Lipscomb to major in nursing.  Her favorite class at PND so far is AP Psychology that is taught by Mr. Mulchey. She loves learning about why people do the things they do and her teach is super funny.  Her favorite school event is Friday night football games.  “I love cheering even if we don’t know what going on and hanging out with my friends afterwards.”  Advice to incoming freshman: “Work hard don’t think you’ll have time to catch up and be yourself eventually you’ll find people who like you for you and if it’s not in high school it’ll happen in college just work and improve yourself!”

This is how Alyssa would describe her “perfect day” – “I love summer so it’d be warm outside probably 75 ish…  I’d wake up, eat good fruit like pineapple and stawberries. Work out. Then get ready while listening to my music.   Probably country or way throwbacks.   If I was lucky my makeup would look spot on. The, I would  go out with my friends and just drive and run all over town. After a long day out, we would come home , hang out with my friends, eat ice cream and head to my basement to watch movies (probably Disney movies.. Tangled is one of my faves!)

A moment she is most proud : “When I was in 8th grade, I won a poem contest and it was actually published!  I loved creative writing and expressing myself that way so it’s still a big thing to me.”

FAMILY:

1. My hero is Grandpa. He’s the smartest and most hard working man I know and he’s kind to anyone and everyone. He’s always willing to sit down and listen but also give history lessons
2. My favorite family trip was to Aruba! It was beautiful and interacting with some local people and seeing where other people live amazed me and we all had so much fun together.
3. What is your favorite family holiday tradition? Besides cutting down the Christmas tree together I’d have to say how we always watch all the hallmark movies together leading up to Christmas
4. What is your favorite childhood memory? Going with my grandpa in the combine every harvest and singing tomatoe tomato potato potatoe
5. What is the best thing about your mom? My mom has a crazy big heart and no matter how tired she is she makes time for everyone and anyone and that’s why I want to be a nurse.

FOOD:

1. What’s your favorite family recipe? Definitely our homemade cookies.  The recipes           have been in my family and I live for those cookies!
2. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Steak with red potatoes and green beans with lemonade
3. What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten? Ox tongue or vegimite

RANDOM:

1. Who is your favorite singer and/or band or song? Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Luke Combs, Jon Pardi, Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, Wolfine
2. Nickname? Liss
3. What did you want to do when you were a little girl? Cake decorator
4. I can lick my nose!
5. If you could travel any where in the world where would you want to go? Poland! It sounds very strange but ever since I was in third grade I’ve been very interested in the holocaust and it’s been a dream to go there with my dad
6. Why did you choose Shelby Photography for your senior portraits photographer? I saw other girls from my school getting their pictures done and they looked amazing!!