Grace Gibbons Defines Initiative and Hard Work as Student Journalist

ALTON - As a wordsmith, Grace Gibbons is the definition of initiative. The Alton High School junior has a long list of successes, with even more that she’s hoping to accomplish before she graduates.

For her hard work, Grace Gibbons is a Hayner Public Library District Student of the Month for Alton High School.

Gibbons is a member of the National Honor Society and a secretary for Calliope. She has completed countless community service hours within the school district’s music department, and she is a flutist with the marching band, orchestra, wind ensemble and symphonic band.

She received the “Fluting Star” award for her work to improve as a flutist and marcher with the Marching 100. The band set a new record during the recent Bands of America St. Louis Super Regional Championship, of which Gibbons is especially proud.

Outside of school and extracurriculars, Gibbons is involved with Teens at the Door, a nonprofit that connects high schoolers with refugees who have recently arrived in the U.S. Her goal is to develop a St. Louis chapter.

At AHS, Gibbons is also known for her work as the managing editor of the Redbird Word. She collaborates with other editors and writers to oversee the magazine’s production and distribution every month. She has received several awards for her journalism, including semi-finalist finishes for editorial and review writing. She also works with the Daily Bird and has been commended for her use of photography.

While she doesn’t have a ton of spare time, she enjoys running, playing volleyball and writing short stories and poetry. She also works at Subway and is preparing to start applications for college, though she already knows what she wants to do after graduation.

“My goal is to attend Northwestern University in Chicago and study journalism and political science,” Gibbons said.

Congratulations to Grace for this recognition by Alton High School and the Hayner Public Library District!

More like this: