Minooka High Senior Hopes to Compete in State Track Meet

Kiley Saunders, 18, Senior at Minooka Community High School

Come spring, Kiley Saunders, a MCHS senior will be finalizing a milestone in her life before moving on to college.

She will go to prom. She will graduate. She will have many lasting memories. Too many to list here.

This optimistic, outgoing, ambitious, enthusiastic young lady will also have her final opportunity to make it to the state competition for track. If she makes it, she will end her athletic career at MCHS on a high note.

That is because for her entire four years of high school, Saunders has competed in state competitions for both the MCHS cross-country and track teams. She runs a 3-mile race for the cross-country team and races in the 400m and 800m races for the track team.

And even when she isn’t competing, she likes to run. 

“I just run because I want to,” Saunders said. “I like running.”

Saunders is co-president of the Indian Athletic Leadership Club (I.A.L.C.). In order to participate in this club, Saunders and her fellow members were nominated based on their leadership and community service. 

The Shorewood resident is also a recipient of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Citizen Committee Award. She was chosen for the award based on her good citizenship qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism in her home, schools and community. 

Her most recent accomplishment was being named the Channahon-Minooka Rotary Club’s Student of the Month for November. This award, which is also based on the recipient's community service, is awarded to individuals who have ian outstanding grade point average. 

“I found out that I received the award at school,” Saunders said. “It was posted on the bulletin board.”

As a scholar athlete, Saunders maintains a 4.5 grade point average. Her academics have helped her succeed in being inducted into the National Society of High School Scholars, which is based on ACT scores. Her recent score on the college placement test was a 31. The highest an individual can receive on the ACT is a 36.

Her smarts landed her in the World History AP Class her sophomore year. While in this class, her and 20 other classmates had the opportunity to visit London, Paris and Rome.

Saunders holds the public relations officer title for the National Honor Society. She generates posters and flyers for the organization and makes sure information is available for her fellow classmates who are also members of the honor organization.

“I’m really happy with the NHS position,” Saunders said.

She said it will help her decisions and expections in the field she wants to enter after college.

Next fall, Saunders is planning to attend the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and major in advertising and marketing.

“My parents have always been supportive of my academics and athletics,” Saunders said. "They are very proud and excited for me.”

Saunders also gives credit to all the teachers she has.

“I had amazing teachers at Troy Middle School and I love all the teachers I have had at MCHS,” Saunders said. “Not too many people can say that about their teachers. They helped me love all subjects.”

Saunders is employed at Mark’s on 59 and last winter she began taking lessons on the acoustic guitar. She said she evens sings along while she strums.

This past summer, Saunders traveled to Phoenix with a friend who held a photo seminar. She also worked with Photovision to produce a DVD of educational photography.

“I’m trying to get involved more because I really like it,” Saunders said. “It is fun.”