Snow White lives in Channahon

Anna Guillette, 12, 7th grader Channahon Junior High School

A mother rabbit makes a nest and has her babies in the yard.

A bird recently was wedged in a neighbor’s bird feeder.

In situations like these, most people would let nature run its course. Some may take it a step further and call animal control.

But not one Channahon girl.

Anna Guillette, 12, has a passion for animals. She doesn’t like to see them in danger or pain. She takes action immediately.

With the rabbits, she doesn’t remove them from their nest, but she makes sure that the area is well-marked so the rabbits do not accidentally get stepped on or mowed over. Unfortunately, one time she couldn’t save them from a hungry hawk.

While riding on her bicycle last week, she noticed a mourning dove trapped in her friend’s bird feeder. Since the bird feeder has been hanging on the tree for several years, the tree has grown around it and it couldn’t be removed without cutting the branch or rope attaching the bird feeder.

Even if it was cut, the lid of the weathered bird feeder was lodged. Cutting was avoided. 

After further investigation, Anna figured out that all she needed was a screwdriver to take the top off. She shouted to her friend to go fetch one. 

With a twist of a few screws and a lift of the top, the bird quickly flew out.

When she is not tending to wildlife, Anna takes care of her pets. She has three cats; Mocha, Boo and Moushie; a cockatiel named Earl and a hamster named Truffle. But her favorite pet is Goldie the goldfish which she won at the Three Rivers Festival in Channahon about three years ago.

In addition to her love for animals, Anna has a beautiful singing voice. Her voice landed her solos in the school choir, a bit in the Kiwanis Annual Talent Show at Billie Limacher Centennial Park in Joliet and even singing during a wedding ceremony for a family friend.

Dressed up in a bedazzling purple gown, she wowed her classmates, teachers and parents with her performance of Ceelo’s “Forget You.” The act was one of the many in the Annual Talent Show at Three Rivers School.

According to her parents, Anna has never shown a great interest in participating in sports. However, Anna surprised her parents, and pretty much everyone she knew, by participating in the school’s basketball and track team the last two years. 

The extracurricular activities are fun, but Anna said she truly loves school. She is always on the Honor Roll. And she loves her teachers.

Anna has a talent of drawing.  Sometimes her drawings are found in the Kids Corner in the Joliet Herald. A drawing of her cat Moushie appeared in Cat Fancy.

Although her fashion design drawings haven’t been picked up by the likes of Vera Wang or Forever 21 she has created multiple dresses and outfits.

Anna also enjoys watching the multiple baking shows on television. One of her favorites is Buddy Valastro Jr. a.k.a. the Cake Boss. Last year, Anna met Valastro during his November tour in Chicago. She has his autograph, a picture with him and even enjoyed a piece of cake.

In fact, Anna loves to bake. She has even made desserts from Valastro’s cookbook, Cake Boss: Stories and Recipes from Mia Famiglia. Her baking talent satisfies the sweet tooth of her and her family, but it’s not a profession she wants to pursue.

Anna wants to be an anesthesiologist.

“It’s where the money is,” Guillette said.

Well, with the hefty salary she will get, she could fulfill her dream of collecting antiques and classic cars. She can also travel to her top three destinations; the Caribbean, France and Germany. And she can even splurge on some expensive sushi, her favorite food.