As graduation draws near for many high school seniors across the region, Paducah Tilghman’s Jayda Reed is gearing up to walk across the stage to begin her journey toward a health care career.
Reed is a varsity volleyball player who plays middle blocker/outside hitter. She’s also a part of the Beta Club, a Class 13 Chamber of Commerce Youth LEAD member, and she serves as captain leader for her grade level on the Student Equity Advisory Council. Reed is also a Tilghman Student Ambassador and an African American Leadership Club member.
“I have become that leader younger me wish she had,” Reed said.
Her current successes didn’t come as easy as she would have liked. Growing up, Reed said she would act out to seek attention and follow her friends because she felt like an “outcast.” Reed felt like she let her peers dictate her decisions and limit her capabilities during that phase. However, she realized her actions were holding her back, saying “I was only deteriorating myself while my ‘friends’ were out doing things to better themselves.”
Since then, Reed has overcome her challenges by separating herself from negative influences and putting her efforts into her classes.
“Looking back, I realized I needed that separation from the people I thought I needed around me so I could see how powerful and capable I am of success on my own,” Reed said. “As I have matured and gotten older, I have seen the difference in my circle of friends as well as my demeanor whenever I do not allow others’ opinions to cloud my own perception of myself.”
After high school, Reed plans to attend Spalding University in Louisville to pursue a Bachelor of Science in nursing. She aspires to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). Reed said she wants to help people beyond their physical needs, and becoming an anesthesiologist assistant will allow her to accomplish that goal.
Reed credits Tilghman’s Innovation Hub as a reason her interest in the medical field grew. Her first nursing class at the school piqued her interest so much that she knew she wanted to follow that pathway toward a career.
“I feel an anesthesiologist has the opportunity to get to know a patient personally as well as gain that patient/provider comfortability,” Reed said. “I feel everyone desires to have [that] with their medical provider.”
Tilghman Chief Equity Officer Shonda Hollowell described Reed as funny, creative and intelligent. She said Reed is a contagious friend to everyone who knows her. Hollowell said that Reed’s ability to make others laugh fosters a sense of inclusion and belonging in any environment that sets her apart from others.
Patti Slankard is a teacher at the school, and taught Reed her junior year. She said she admired Reed’s determination and dedication to her future. She noted that Reed has an impeccable rapport with teachers and her peers and described her as mature, dependent and driven.
Hollowell and Slankard each wish Reed success as she pursues her career goals.
As for advice, Reed believes that her peers should “stay focused on the main thing.” She believes each person has something they hold as a main focus point for growth, whether they’re starting a new venture, growing into their true selves, obtaining better grades or creating new memories. Reed said focusing on your endgame is ultimately what matters.
“Let the main thing be the main thing and not allow outside things that aren’t as important for what you’re focused on distract you,” Reed said. “Stay level headed. Also, know that not everything is so deep that where you have to stress yourself out, and just have fun with everything that you do. Life can be short, and you just don’t want to stress yourself out about things that you won’t even remember in five years.”
