Abigail McDonald is Southwestern Softball Star Student

PIASA - Abigail McDonald is a busy senior at Southwestern High School, but she always makes time to volunteer with younger students and dominate on the softball field in between classes and clubs.

For her success as a well-rounded student, Abigail McDonald is a Southwestern High School Student of the Month for Jersey County Circuit Court Clerk Dan Schetter.

McDonald enjoys trying new things; as a matter of fact, she plans to try her hand at basketball this year. Throughout high school, she has spent time in Southwestern’s National Honor Society, Spanish Club, Military History Club, Pep Club and American Sign Language Club.

As a natural leader and helper, McDonald describes her personality as “kind and outgoing.” It’s no surprise, then, that she has gravitated toward groups where those attributes are key. She is a member of the Student Government, and she guides underclassmen as a freshman mentor. Many of the freshmen already respect McDonald, since she also volunteers as an assistant coach with Southwestern’s middle school softball program.

While McDonald shines as a student, her athletic success also deserves recognition. She has played varsity softball for four years at Southwestern and has a varsity letter to prove it. She also plays select softball for The Hitting Center out of Springfield, and her select softball team won the state championship three years in a row.

That hard work has paid off. One of her biggest triumphs recently sent her to Barcelona, Spain, where she played softball for Team U.S.A.

McDonald’s accomplishments are impressive, but it’s her good nature that stands out the most. When she’s not busy with school, sports or volunteering, McDonald likes to camp and read. She has regular movie nights with her mom. She loves pigs, and while she might not have a pet pig, she has the next best thing: a dog named Piglet.

As McDonald prepares to graduate high school, she has decided to foster her love for softball and her inclination toward kindness as an education major at Lincoln Land Community College in Fall 2024.

“I have a full ride to Lincoln Land Community College to play softball,” she said. “There, I will continue my academic career and focus on going into the field of education and also get to continue my athletic career by playing softball.”

Congratulations to Abigail for this recognition by Southwestern High School and Jersey County Circuit Court Clerk Dan Schetter!

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