Senior Spotlight: Natalie & Madeline Gonzalez

For this week's Senior Spotlight, I interviewed Natalie and Madie Gonzalez. Between now and April 1st, I will send out a couple of Senior Spotlights a week leading up to our passion fair and presentations!

First, we have Natalie Gonzalez. She is in the Life Science and Agriculture Pathways and plans to be a veterinarian when she grows up! She currently has a job placement at the Galesburg Animal Hospital as a kennel attendant, and she has shadowed multiple vets in the area over the course of the four years she's gone here. When I asked her about her job placements, she said, “It helped me see firsthand what my job could look like, and I know now that I can handle it; I've seen lots of things that not everyone would be able to see, and it makes me more confident knowing that I'm not squeamish!"

She plans on continuing her education at Monmouth College and her athletic career as a dual sport athlete, running track and playing volleyball, just like she did during her time as an RW Cougar! Reflecting on her time here at Williamsfield, she said, “I think Williamsfield offers help for you to go out and get those crucial first-hand experiences; we really are lucky here. No schools around us are the same, and that's helpful when you're trying to figure yourself out.”

Now, we have Madeline Gonzalez. She is in the Business and Finance Pathway and plans on being a Real Estate agent with the hopes of someday owning her own office, but she really loves business as a whole! She has had a job placement with Dena Turner at the Century 21 Real Estate office in Galesburg and has shadowed many local real estate agents and even some accountants. She said job shadowing had been a great experience for her, “It's opened a lot of doors for me; it has been eye-opening to see what's available out there because it's more than you might think. I've learned what I'm passionate about and how I can help myself be successful."

Madie plans to continue her academic career at Bradley University in Peoria with a major in Accounting and a minor in Business Administration. When I asked her about how she's felt about the opportunities here at Williamsfield High in her four years, she said, “I think it is a great opportunity to take advantage of, giving students the ability to explore several options for a career. When I was coming here from my last school, I had no idea what I wanted to do and how I would be able to figure that out, and Williamsfield has been so supportive since.”

Anyone within these school walls knows that the Gonzalez girls are integral to the student body here. They both participate in sports, as well as several extracurricular activities, all while maintaining great friendships with anyone they meet. Best wishes to you both; we know that you’ll do great things!

Be on the lookout for future Senior Spotlight Segments by Sarah Brown!