The Maine Township High School District 207 Board of Education honored three students in the area of electives naming them “207’s Best” at a recent meeting. Jenna Pettersen from Maine West was honored for her love of social science, passion for uplifting others and academic ambition.
The following information was written about Jenna Pettersen as a part of the nomination by Maine West principal Dr. Eileen McMahon.
JENNA PETTERSEN, MAINE WEST
Tonight Maine West honors Jenna Pettersen for her achievements in Elective courses, specifically in Spanish, Tech, and her beloved Social Sciences. If I had to pull one key word from my conversation with Jenna, that word would be “uplift.” Jenna’s calling in life is to work for good in the world and make sure people feel uplifted. “I care a lot about making others feel like we’re in a good environment,” she said, and that theme ran through everything she told me about her time at Maine West. People uplifted her, even in classes she didn’t love, and as she thought back upon her time as a Warrior, her best experiences have been rooted in a sense of community. These notes resonate with her plans to pursue a career in public policy and service.
Jenna has been passionate about Spanish since the 6th grade, feeling pulled by a desire to communicate with the world. She also loves her tech courses, and commented that they make school more fun. But her true love is Social Science, where she thrived last year in AP Government, with its Socratic seminars and mock press conferences. She forged a deep interest in voters’ education, valuing the active role of citizens and their understanding of the process that shapes their communities. She has an internship with the Fire Department which allows her to understand the real impact of local government on the way citizens live, and she has interests in shaping the laws one day as a legislator. She wants to build a better life not just for herself, but for everyone in her community.
At Maine West, Jenna certainly accumulated good practice for this aspiration. In addition to coursework in Gov, Jenna thrived in AP World, Sociology, and APUSH. She added AP Psych this year. She has thrived in CAD and Engineering, and doubled up on Science freshman year in order to take Anatomy & Physiology and Crime Science on top of Bio, Chem, and Physics. She is a member of Math, Spanish, and Social Science honor societies, an All-Conference Varsity Volleyball athlete, and a Student Ambassador, which entails helping transfer students get to know and connect with their new school. This seems like the perfect role for the girl who told me, “there has never been a day when I didn’t want to come to school.” She could help new Warriors look forward to one of her favorite memories of Maine West: that day in December when the kids arrive at school to find the “Elf on the Shelf” greeting them from the roof above the C-wing student entrance. Jenna could share her observation that students and teachers get involved at Maine West, even to the point of making ourselves ridiculous, because in a healthy community, every student should know that they matter. That’s the spirit Jenna wants to build in civic life, and she has a great head start.
Jenna’s teachers, sponsors, and coaches talked about her impact on their communities here at school.
Mr. Walzer called Jenna’s award particularly impactful for him. “In just a few academic years, I’ve had the privilege of watching Jenna’s evolution into an independent learner and critical thinker. She is a true embodiment of what it means to be a Warrior. In addition to her academic ambitions—and, of course, language skills—Jenna has an unending curiosity about the world around her and understands the importance and value of her education in our District. This understanding is a testament to the critical thought that will continue to open doors for Jenna, no matter what she decides to do upon graduation. I am so proud of you, Jenna!”
On his own, Mr. Segovia also used the word “uplift” in describing Jenna’s future mark on the world. “Jenna has always been a hard worker, so I’m not (in the least bit) surprised that she’s being honored as one of 207’s Best! Jenna takes a particular care when completing assigned work or tasks. That particular care sends a message: that she takes pride in quality. From being helpful to her peers to excelling in extra-curriculars, Jenna is hard work personified! Congratulations Jenna! Wherever your next stop in life takes you, I know you’re going to do amazing work. Keep your unique shine, and use that strong voice to help uplift those around you. :)”
Ms. Vaughn raved about Jenna’s presence in her class. “She is just an amazing student. She is intellectually curious and diligent towards her core classwork. Jenna approaches all of her classes, including electives, and her extra-curricular activities the same way she approaches her core classes: with dedication and passion. I am so impressed by her maturity and it was my true pleasure to have had her in my class and have the opportunity to watch her grow.”
Ms. Bezek highlighted Jenna’s hard work and determination. “Jenna is very driven. When she sets a goal for herself, she puts in the work to achieve that goal. Jenna struggled early on in Precalculus Compression last year. She started asking more questions during class and thoroughly completing all of the homework assignments. As a result, she earned her highest scores during the Calculus portion of the course which was the most challenging. Watching her succeed was one of the highlights of teaching last year.”
Finally, Volleyball Coach Ms. Feyerer also emphasized Jenna’s hard work and growth mindset throughout her four-year journey in the program. “Jenna started out on the Freshmen B team for volleyball during her freshman year, and ended her volleyball career as a starting Middle on Varsity for her Junior and Senior Years. There are very few Freshmen B players that make it to varsity, let alone become starters. Jenna put in time during the season and in the off season through club volleyball to improve her skills and made a lot of growth. This year, Jenna was named All Conference for the CSL-North division for her senior year and led the team in most blocks.”