Taylor Spencer currently holds the No. 3 spot in the Poplar Bluff High School (PBHS) Class of 2018. According to the 17-year-old senior, whose 18th birthday is just around the corner, earning a place in the coveted "Top 5" is the result of nearly 12 years of hard work.
With a smile and a shrug, Spencer said, "I've just worked hard, I guess."
Spencer said staying alert and engaged in her classes has helped her to maintain a high grade point average throughout her high school career.
"I pay attention in class, and make sure I take good notes so that I know what the teacher is talking about," she continued.
Spencer said that for as long as she can remember, she's had a desire to succeed. She said her inherent drive has been fostered at home by her supportive mother and father, Christina and Frank Spencer.
"My parents always pushed me really hard to do the best I could and stay on the right track," she said.
When she's not studying or staying on top of her homework, Spencer said, she devotes a lot of time to extracurricular activities, which happen to reflect her wide range of interests.
Spencer has been involved with Poplar Bluff's music department since junior high. She is a percussionist in the PBHS SHO-ME Band and jazz band.
Spencer and her fellow seniors are preparing for their final marching band performance, during which the SHO-ME Band will be featured at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World near the end of March.
Spencer is also a member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club and, occasionally, Chess Club.
After high school, Spencer plans to attend Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She said that while she is not entirely sure what her major will be, she is sure it will combine two of her passions: science and animals.
"It will either be something pre-veterinary or animal science," said Spencer, who hopes to pursue a career in veterinary medicine after college.