Chapter 8: Madison Ellis

Pleasant Valley senior Madison Ellis seems to be having a normal senior year, just like most people. She attends football and basketball games, listens to her favorite music (country and pop), and hangs out with her friends and family. But unlike many of her peers, Madison has not always been in this position at Pleasant Valley High School.

For the first three years of high school, Ellis lived in her new home in the city of St. Louis, Missouri. This change came suddenly, and it was hard on her because she did not want to move away from her friends at PV. St. Louis was very different than Bettendorf. Ellis found it hard to fit in at this new school; St. Louis is about ten times more populated than Bettendorf. Although this move was a hardship for Ellis, she was able to make it through. “I leaned on my family, as well as all of my friends back home and I got more involved with extracurriculars at school.” Ellis finally moved back to Bettendorf senior year, and although she will always have good memories from St. Louis, she is happy to be home.

Ellis is glad to be back at Pleasant Valley for her final year of high school, explaining, “I feel really lucky that I got to move back to PV to finish out high school, and I’m really enjoying this last year with everyone.” After school, she plans on attending the University of Iowa. Ellis dreams of going to law school to become a human rights lawyer.

If Ellis could have dinner with anyone, she would dine with Dr. Shepard from Grey’s Anatomy, saying, “He’s really cute and would be fun to talk to.” Like most seniors, Ellis is ready to graduate. She gets to experience the remainder of senior year in the best way, with her old friends from Pleasant Valley.