Chapter 42: Lilly Parker

Lilly Parker is part of the 2019 senior class. She is on the varsity golf team and manages the girls basketball team. “When I was younger I went golfing with my grandpa a lot. The hobby kind of carried on to high school,” Parker said. She has friends on the basketball team and says managing is a great way to handle her service learning hours.

Parker moved to the Pleasant Valley district in fifth grade, but most don’t know where she was living before. A few years prior to coming to Pleasant Valley, Parker lived in Germany. Her family moved there for her mom’s job with John Deere. She was young and does not remember much, but living in Germany sparked Parker’s life-long desire to travel.

Parker is passionate about traveling and hopes to explore the world. As of today, she has already been to China, Cancún, Spain, Austria, Germany, and a few places in the United States. Her favorite trip is her family’s yearly vacation to see her grandma in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Just this summer, Parker joined Señiorita Risius on the school trip to Spain. “We saw so many cool buildings and historic monuments along with the hip neighborhoods of Spain, all while improving our Spanish skills and trying local foods!” Since then, she said she has gained a better understanding of the Spanish language and Spanish is one of her favorite subjects.

In her free time, Parker finds comfort in the arts. She is a huge Shawn Mendes fan and has attended a few of his concerts. Additionally, Parker was part of PV’s choir department for five years. It is not necessarily something she plans to continue, but music has always been something she values. “My mom was a music major in college, so I grew up surrounded by it,” said Parker.

Next year, she plans to attend the University of St. Louis and become a doctor, possibly a dermatologist. Parker took a visit to St. Louis this summer and says she loved the campus. It is the perfect size for her and she has cousins in the area. The school also has a great medical program, which is just what she was looking for.

Though she has not completely immersed herself in sports or extracurriculars, she is an amazing student who has found her peace traveling.