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Jessica Addy can't explain how she does it. "It's always come pretty easy for me," she admits. "I work hard but I've never had any problems when it comes to school."
The 17-year-old senior at L'Anse Creuse High School-North in Harrison Township earned a perfect score of 36 on the American College Test (ACT) she took last year as a junior, placing her atop the 406,000 other high school students who took the test in 1997. The national average ACT score was 21.
Jessica's perfect 36 made her one of only three high school juniors in Michigan and 27 nationwide to ace the college entrance exam, but this achievement is just part of a long track record of academic success. She also astounds her teachers by excelling in all of her subjects at school and maintaining a 4.073 grade point average.
And when she is not working on her grades, she can be found participating in her school's photography club or playing in its marching band. She also works with the National Honor Society, a prestigious student organization that selects members based on their academic achievement, character and integrity, and community involvement.
Somehow Jessica also finds the time to play an instrument for her church choir, take dance lessons, and attend psychology and sociology classes at Macomb Community College.
Pressed again for the secret of her success, Jessica credits her mom's constant encouragement and involvement in her life. "My mom has always been supportive of my academics," Jessica says. "She helped me with my homework when I was young, and has always been there to back me up as I've gotten older."
Jessica plans to attend college upon her graduation this year, but describes the process of narrowing down which school she'd like to attend as "rough." She has visited several campuses, including Harvard, Boston University, New York University, and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, but has not yet made her final decision.
One guiding star in her quest for the right college is her interest in drama. She is currently studying acting in a special program for high school students at Carnegie Mellon in order to get a flavor for college drama courses and the acting business in general.
With so many successes under her belt and so much promise in her future, does Jessica have any advice for other students who want to achieve their full potential? "Work hard and don't get discouraged if things don't go as you planned," she says. "The important thing is to always keep trying."
