This month, we’re celebrating South Fulton’s Super Seniors!
Meet Sensoury McKay, a member of Creekside High School’s Class of 2020 and this year’s Star Senior. She’s been a leader academically and is graduating in the top 10 percent of her class. She’s also been a section leader in the marching band for three years and will soon be taking the field as a Bethune-Cookman University Marching Wildcat.
Q1: What are some of the things that you’ve been proud to accomplish during your high school career?
A1: One of the things I’m most proud of is being selected as Creekside High School’s Star Senior. Being selected as Star Senior made me realize that I can accomplish anything if I put my mind to it and stay focused.
Secondly, I will be graduating in the top 10% of my class. All my academic accomplishments and achievements pushed me to be accepted into 27 colleges, become an Honor Roll recipient, receive many band and academic scholarships, and receive numerous recognitions for my hard work throughout my high school career. I also joined many academic clubs such as National Beta Club, National Honor Society, and National Society of High School Scholars. These clubs inspired me to not settle for average but for greatness in all the work I put into school.
In addition to academics, I am proud to say that I have served as section leader for three years in Creekside High School’s Marching Band. Because of the hard work I put into my band program, I was selected to attend the University of Georgia’s Janfest (2017-18 and 2019-2020), and District Honor Band (2019-2020).
Q2: How have you given back to your community?
A2: I love to give back to my community because my community has given a great deal to me. I volunteer with my mom at the Atlanta Community Food Bank. We fill boxes with food that have been donated to the food bank. Then, we pass it out to individual families who are most in need of food.
Secondly, I volunteered in a program entitled Trees Atlanta. This program contributes the to the environment by making Atlanta beautiful and planting trees around the metro Atlanta area.
Thirdly, I volunteered at the Georgia Renaissance Festival during the summer. This is an opportunity for band students to reach out to the community and give back by preparing food and helping around for the guest coming to enjoy the park.
Lastly, I volunteer for Open Hand Atlanta during the Thanksgiving holiday. This is my favorite way of giving back to my community. This is a time that we give thanks to others and show appreciation for our blessings. I prepared emergency food and toiletries boxes for families who may not have the resources to enjoy their Thanksgiving with their families. Giving back to my community has shaped me into who I am today. It has made me truly appreciate the little things in life, the small blessings that people sometimes ignore.
Q3: What are your plans after high school? What are your career aspirations?
A3: After high school, I plan to attend Bethune-Cookman University, major in early childhood education, and become a Marching Wildcat. My career aspiration is to become a teacher. First, I want to start off in elementary, teaching second and third grade. Second, I plan to become certified in secondary education and teach middle and high school. Third, I will obtain my degree in educational leadership and become a high school administrator/assistant principal. Lastly, I want to work my way up to becoming a principal and then a superintendent of a school district.
Q4: Who has helped you the most along the way? How did they make a difference in your life?
A4: They say it takes a village to raise a child but, in my situation, it took more than one. I have two families that have helped me along the way.
My Creekside family, from the principal, to the assistant principals, to the teachers have helped me along this journey. During my freshman year at Creekside High School, I wasn’t as focused as I should have been. My Creekside family saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. They made my four years of high school a journey to remember. They all guided and supported me through the hard times, encouraged me to reach all my goals, and to become a better person.
I can’t leave out my family. My mom, my grandmother, my sisters, brother, aunts, uncles, and cousins have brought out a side of me that made me become more determined and focused on what I want to become in life. They have all been there for me in many ways since I came into the family. I am so thankful for all the people who are in both families as well as others who were placed in my life for many reasons and who have been there for me throughout my journey.
Q5: Based on your high school experience, what advice would you give to the members of the Class of 2021?
A5: Always follow your dreams/passions, focus on yourself, be you, and push to be the best. Don’t listen to when the people around you say negative things. Don’t let anyone make you second guess yourself. Don’t let the distractions throw you off your game. If you know in your mind that you can accomplish something, then go for it in every way possible.
Bricks are going to be thrown at you in life, but it’s what you do with those bricks that determines what your future will be. Take those bricks and build steps and not walls. Every time you put up a wall, you are limiting what is on the other side, which is a better life. When you think you have done enough, go even further. Do things that enhance your skills and interests in life. Go for the opportunities, and meet new people. Follow the advice of Henry David Thoreau. “Live your beliefs and you can change the world.”
Do you know a South Fulton Super Senior that deserves to be recognized? Nominate them at [email protected].