Jessie Keele does not stray away from hard things. A member of some of Enloe’s most rigorous organizations, including MBSA and marching band, she has balanced an intense workload of extracurriculars alongside the bucket loads of work that come with being a normal high school student. All this, you would think, would weigh a person’s spirit down; however, Jessie remains a bright presence in the lives of many Enloe students. With her energetic personality, she’s the epitome of a people person- it’s not uncommon to find her in a group, making everyone around her grow louder and louder, filling steadily with laughter.
Her passion for all that she does is extremely admirable. Her involvement in multiple clubs- marching band, MBSA, HOSA, and Latin Club- are viewed by her as a way of expressing herself and her interests. “Our school’s culture of academics is so rigorous that it’s all people can focus on,” she says, but this isn’t the case for her. Her priorities, and her favorite parts of Enloe, are the people who allow her to utilize her boundless energy and personality to their full potential. A key tenant of this is the marching band, which Jessie has been a proud member of for four years.
The band has a rigorous schedule, historically practicing from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the summer, and at least three days a week after school for around four months of the year. After playing the clarinet for her first years in the band, she switched to being a part of the color guard senior year after being a member of Enloe’s winter guard during the 2023 season. Her final year in the band left her with some of her favorite high school memories, including the trip to a Bands of America (BOA) competition in Orlando, Florida. “Performing at BOA is always thrilling, and I was so proud of our performance at BOA Orlando,” she says. Alongside the experience of performing at one of the biggest marching band competitions in the country, there are also the memories of simply spending time with her friends. Jessie recalls herself and her friends that she was rooming with staying up late together, before falling asleep scattered around the hotel room, as one fond memory.
In addition to marching band, Jessie has been a part of the MBSA program during her time at Enloe. Her internship was a valuable experience, allowing her to get a deeper look into the medical field, as well as working at the same place her mother worked. “I always knew what my mom did, but I never like, knew what she did.” The program let her grow into her own, informing her of what she wants to do in the future. “I know I want to be able to help people and work as a team with groups of people in the future because I have loved working and performing with the people at Enloe.” After graduation, she plans to major in biology at NC State or UNC, and then go to medical school to become an oncologist.
In the noise of excellence that is Enloe, it’s easy to get lost in the allure of having the most achievements on paper- the leading role in every show, the highest GPA, the involvement in the most clubs and nonprofits- but Jessie has something infinitely more important: an intense determination to help others, and a shining personality that never fails to make me, or anyone else around her, smile. This is something that she’ll carry into her life further than any club presidency, and without a doubt, she’ll leave a positive impact on many lives.
