Meet Darby aka… Darb, Darbs, DMoney or as her dad calls her when she upset or mad, “Tookey Lou!”  She is one part sweet, one part sassy and a whole lot of gorgeous!!!!   Darby is my first Class of 2020 senior from Washington Community High School!!  I loved Darbs from the second I met her and I am super excited to photograph her all year long! #luckiestphotographerever

Darby would describe her personality as outgoing, talkative, kind, and goal driven.  After high school she plans on attending ICC and then OSF School of Nursing.  One of her proudest moments was getting accepted into the CNA program.  She has been dreaming of becoming a nurse for a very long time and getting accepted into the program her senior year is one step closer to reaching that goal!  When she was a little girl, she wanted to be a teacher.   This year, she is most looking forward to homecoming week. It has been her favorite week throughout high school and she is looking forward to her very last one.  Darby also loves prom because “it’s fun to dress up and the memories I have made having fun with my friends will last a lifetime!”

“My favorite teacher is Mrs.Fuller. I was lucky enough to have her for all four semesters that I took Spanish. She is by far the best teacher I have had in my academic career.  She always puts emphasis on getting to know her students and how they’re doing than how they’re performing in her class. She is the only teacher I have had that truly cares about my life outside of the school’s door. Her zest for life makes her the extraordinary woman she is and I’m so blessed to have met her my freshman year. My favorite class is definitely anatomy. I love learning about the body and how it functions. I have wanted to be a nurse for a long time, so dissecting brains, hearts and pigs is fascinating to me.  In school I participate in Fitness Club and outside of school, I am in Young Life which is a youth ministry; I serve as a freshman girls leader.  One of my favorite hobbies is running and it’s a great stress reliever!”  Advice to incoming freshman – “Don’t waste your time in high school, I promise it goes by as fast as everyone says it does! Go to the games, dances, join a club, GET INVOLVED! Also, please walk on the right side of the hallway, the upper classmen will appreciate it.”

If Darby would describe her perfect day, this is what it would be! “My most perfect day would start with a iced almond milk late from Thirty-Thirty. After drinking my coffee, I would watch a few episodes (or a season) of Grey’s Anatomy in my comfy bed. Afterwards, I would get ready for the day and spend it with my friends hammocking at Eureka Lake & going to Ice Cream Shack for a french silk pie wizard (by far the best thing on the menu)! I would then go to dinner with my family at Cayenne and get tacos. I would end the day watching Portlandia and taking a bath.”

“The best thing about my mom is that she is always the first person to jump on board for any idea or goals I have. She’s constantly cheering me on and reminding me of where I want to go, not where I’ve been. She’s my human diary, filled with my stories and dream, greatest role model, voice of reason & forever best friend. The best thing about my dad is that he keeps me humble and has always been my biggest cheerleader. I have four brothers and no sister and for as long as I can remember my dad has always done everything he can to make me feel special, from painting my nails to trying to do my hair in the mornings before school. My dad is hands down the most selfless person I know, there has never been a day that I have felt like I am second to anything. He always puts our family first in every decision he makes and is always right by my side when life gets tough. Sometimes I wonder how I got to lucky, he’s my biggest fan and supporter!”

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

1. What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten? Dried seaweed
2. What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?  Cliff jumping
3. If you could travel any where in the world where would you want to go? I would go to Thailand, it’s really beautiful there and you can ride elephants on the beach!
4. What’s your favorite holiday?  Christmas
5. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? My favorite holiday tradition is going to my aunt and uncles house for Thanksgiving, we always have a lot of fun & my aunt makes reallyyyy good apple pie! After we leave their house, me and my mom go home and make coffees and then go black friday shopping. We have a lot of fun together and are always laughing at dumb stuff because we’re usually super tired at this point in the night & every year before we go home we eat at Sonic or Steak n’ Shake.
6. What’s your favorite sport to watch? My favorite sport to watch has always been football, probably due to the fact that I have 4 brothers. I prefer college football & I’m a HUGE Georgia fan! Go DAWGS!
7. Who is your favorite singer and/or band? ANY, Frank Ocean, Niykee Heaton, Post Malone, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Jason Aldean, Dan + Shay, & Bazzi
8. My favorite family trip was to The Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri because it is the first one I can remember.
9. What is your favorite childhood memory? Going to my grandma’s house with my brothers, she lived out in the country in the middle of nowhere and we would be outside all day running around and driving around my older brother, John’s, little jeep.
10. What’s your favorite family recipe? My mom’s pumpkin bread, I’m not a huge dessert person but I love it! I swear I could live off of it.
11. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Chicken caesar salad
12. Something Random: I have a plate and 8 screws in my left ankle.
13. Why did you choose Shelby Photography for your senior portraits photographer? I started following Shelby Photography in 8th grade and fell in love with how effortlessly beautiful all the girls looked in their portraits.