Meet the darling, vivacious, sweet and sociable, love-able, blond, bubbly, babe who happens to be a “miracle child” (I’ll explain later) She also happens to have a 4.26GPA and has held an “A” in every class she has ever been in since getting letter grades in grade school! She is in the National Honor Society and has been accepted into the High Honors College at Mizzou! From the start, this Class of 2022 senior from Metamora High School, Taylor Gardner, has defied all odds and continues to do so.  If you know her, you love her! And I’m super excited to share her senior spotlight today!

Taylor is going to major in Psychology and her ultimate goal is to be an attorney. Wow! When she was a little girl, she wanted to be a veterinarian because she loves animals. Taylor is looking forward to prom and graduation. “I’m excited for prom because that is the last big event I get to share with all of my friends before we go our separate ways. I’m excited for graduation because that is the first step into being an adult.”

 

 

“My favorite teacher is Mrs Galpin. She is the kindest person I have ever met. She is down to earth and is so supportive. She has taught me so much, not just academically, but about how to overcome adversity while still having the kindest personality. My favorite class would have to be my Independent Study in Black and White Photography! I am so lucky to go to Metamora because of the fully functioning dark room. Not many students have that, and I am lucky that I get the operating to use it!”

“My hero is my mom. She is the strongest women I know and I look up to her so much. She has taught me everything I know. She has supported me in every dream I have ever had. My mom pushes me to be the best person I can be, while keeping me grounded. She never lets me go without, and she is my best friend. She has taught me how to be independent and how to speak my mind. She taught me my worth and how to be confident in myself. My mother is my rock, forever and always! The best thing about my mom is her heart. She is kind and supportive. She has overcome so much in her life, yet she still wears her heart on her sleeve. She is thoughtful and so giving. She’s the most selfless person I have come across.
The best thing about my dad would have to be his determination and strong will. He has made me strong in many ways. He has taught me how to be independent and how to stick up for myself. He has taught me to always finish what I start, ans he has taught me that “can’t” should never be in my vocabulary.”

My “perfect day” would be described like this: I would wake up happy and thankful to be healthy….. to the sound of the ocean and the light of the sun shining through the window. I would walk down the street and get a smoothie from the closest mom and pop shop. I would spend the day at the beach with some of my favorite people. I’d stay until I was tan on both sides! I love hearing the ocean crash on the sand while reading a book. After the day at the beach, I would bike around town and shop at the trinket stores in the area. I’d go back home, get ready to go out with my friends, and go dancing! We would dance until our feet hurt, and go home when we tired. I’d fall asleep thankful for those in my life that I have the most fun with. 🙂

“I work at Dairy Queen in Metamora!”

“I am a football and basketball cheerleader, I am in both the fall play and the spring musical. I participate in Key Club and dance committees. Lastly, I am on yearbook! Outside of school, I am also a head coach for JFL cheer. I volunteer at Snyder Village in the little free time I have! I love to write! I write letters, short stories, and poems in my free time. I like to hike when it’s nice out, play with my dogs, and read! I also love spending time with my friends!”

“My favorite sport to watch is basketball. I love the fast paced game and the back and forth of it. My favorite sport to participate in in cheer!”

“Christmas is by far my favorite holiday! love decorating sugar cookies with my grandma at Christmas time. We roll the dough and cut them into different Christmas-themed shapes. We then make all of our own icing and ice about 100 cookies! We sit at the kitchen table with all of my cousins decorating our cookies for at least a few hours! by then end of the day, I figure i’ve eaten about 10 cookies! My favorite childhood memories always include Christmas mornings. There was nothing better than waking up to the smell of orange rolls and going downstairs to find all of the gifts under the tree. I love Christmas time, but Christmas morning has always iced the cake for me!”

Three things on my bucket list: I want to travel the world (literally, anywhere and everywhere). I want to write a book. And lastly, I want to be a partner at a law firm!

 

1. My favorite candy is probably a Hershey’s bar or Reeces, but only the holiday ones!
2. Lemonade is my favorite drink
3. My mom told me I have tried shark before, but obviously it wasn’t any good because I don’t remember it and i haven’t tried it since!
4. Favorite colors – Peach and light yellow
5. I love the dances! I love getting dressed up with my friends and taking pictures; however my all time favorite events are Friday Night Lights! I am a cheerleader and I absolutely love the atmosphere of game nights. I love cheering on the boys and being involved in all of the excitement.
6. I have a very wide range of music interests! My favorite genre is country, and I am in love with Luke Combs and Thomas Rhett. I also love Morgan Wallen and Mitchell Tenpenny!
7. My favorite restaurant is Shogun. I get the filet mignon with rice, noodles, and egg drop soup every time I go!
8. If I could eat only one meal for the rest of my life, I would eat mac and cheese, with watermelon and lemonade. I would also request warm chocolate chip cookies.
9. My favorite family trip was to Europe. I got to travel around to five different countries with my family! I got to learn about their cultures and sight see many different places. I would give anything to go back!
10. I love pineapple! I could eat a whole one in one sitting if someone challenged me!

Remember when I said that Taylor was a miracle child?  Let me tell you a story that Taylor’s mom shared with me on the day of her senior session.  It actually gave me chills and Taylor and her mom gave me permission to share it!

“When I was five months pregnant with Taylor, I received some alarming test results. The remainder of my pregnancy I would be monitored by specialists along with my OBGYN. I had weekly sonograms, and appointments to monitor my baby girl. I was very scared, but her dad and I followed the doctors advice. Her dad attended every appointment with me. We had hard conversations with doctors about the strong possibility of her having developmental issues as well as the the possibility of my baby having permanent disabilities. We knew no matter what obstacle we were faced with, we were going to have this baby girl ❤️ And we would love her unconditionally!  Together, we prepared for the unexpected as best as we could. During delivery, my OBGYN had a special NICU team to assist with the delivery and any complications. Taylor was born at 6:31pm; almost 24hrs after my induction time. She was immediately taken to the NICU team in the room to be looked over and her dad stayed by her side the entire time.  I had complications during delivery and had multiple doctors around me. It was all so scary and I couldn’t see or hear Taylor cry. Her dad gave me updates as she started to breathe. She was blue from lack of oxygen, but she was crying! When I was stable, I finally got to hold my little girl….she was perfect! She was healthy. She was small, but she cleared every test she was given! She was my miracle baby!