When I think of this young lady, I just have to smile 🙂   Besides being absolutely gorgeous, she is incredibly hard-working, ambitious, fun-loving, free-spirited, outgoing, easygoing and kind hearted.  She loves her friends and family deeply, and isn’t afraid to profess her faith in God and holds her values close to her heart.   Meet Macy Sophanavong, Class of 2017 senior from Washington Community High School! #loveher

Macy is super active in school and plays soccer and tennis.  In fact, she just signed to play soccer at Illinois Central College, congrats Macy!  She is involved in Young Life, WyldLife, and Key Club. Macy is the Vice President of her Senior Class.  She loves to shop, loves to sing and write poems (but I haven’t let anyone read them because I’m too embarrassed!)  She admits that she is motivated by Success. “I want to be successful and put my whole heart into everything I do!” Advice to incoming freshman: Don’t let fear keep you from pursuing something you’re passionate about. Be proud of yourself and walk with confidence despite the dirty looks you might get throughout the day. Don’t succumb to conformity; do what makes you feel like the best version of you!

A moment that Macy is most proud of is a time when she and her friends came across a homeless and desperate man when they were walking out of an ice skating rink.  “Its kind of a long story but basically we gave him money except my friend, Alex Phelps gave him a Taco Bell gift card. He asked us if we believed in God and upon hearing that we did, he started to weep and asked us to pray with him. There we were, on the middle of the sidewalk in downtown Peoria, hands on each other’s shoulders, lifting up a soul that hit rock bottom..  Yes, this was my proudest moment for sure!”

We asked Macy if she had a hero.. “My dad. He’s the epitome of hard working. He had little to nothing growing up and works so hard to give my family what he never had”

Describe your “Perfect day” – “The beach is my happy place. I would wake up in my beach house, have some quiet time to read and write, and then spend time with my family and friends on the beach. We would swim, eat, laugh, and sing all throughout the day. We would finish the day with a bonfire on the beach!

Tell us something interesting about yourself that most people don’t know: “I collect CD’s and I’m absolutely terrible at telling stories!”

Top of  Macy’s bucket list: Live on the beach (I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to what my beach house would look like!”

Some fun facts about Macy:

1. If she cold have any superpower, she would choose the ability to teleport. She would travel all over the world without ever having to pay for gas or airfare
2. The High School Musical Movies are her favorite thing to binge watch on tv
3. Egg rolls are her favorite type of foreign food. “I have an Asian dad, so we make/eat them all of the time!”
4. Craziest thing ever eaten: “I’m really plain Jane so nothing too crazy!”
5. Most daring thing ever done: Swam with dolphins
6. Favorite family trip: When we drove 15 hours straight in the car together to Florida last year over Spring Break. It was much needed family time because the Spring is an extremely busy time for all of us. I just remember getting to drive through all the different states and stopping every time we got to the next one to take a picture by the “WELCOME to …. signs!” We dance and sang to keep my mom awake.  I absolutely adore road trips in general because they’re so carefree and we are always headed to the beach so that’s always the cherry on top of the cake!
7. Favorite family recipe: Grandpa’s blueberry cookies
8. If I was stranded on a deserted island with only one other person, I would choose my cousin Addison
9. Favorite holiday tradition: We get to open one present on December 23rd.
10. What would be your favorite song to sing on karaoke night? Someone Like You by Adele

Macy – you “slayed” your senior portrait session!  And to think you were sick, LOL!  It has been so fun having you on our Shelby Senior Model team. I love each and every moment that I spend with you!  Senior year 1/2 way done, BOOM!  The best is yet to come!

Hair and makeup by Tierney Cheney-Smithers Professional Hai