November 5, 2013 –
With the Summer Olympic Games being just three short years away, it would be to no one’s surprise to see our next Athlete of the Week representing the United States in the track and field competition. That’s because Jessica Matthews is quickly making a name for herself in the world of Alabama high school track and field; in particular, the javelin. It’s not very often a high school athlete picks up a javelin and finds such success, but Jessica has done just that, with her 2012 5A State Championship. In 2013, she found competition to be a little harder at the 6A level, but still managed to secure a top 10 finish with a 7th place performance. Her personal record had her hurling the javelin 120 feet. Speaking of feet, Jessica also shows some fancy foot-work for the Lady Black Bears. She’s been an important part of the Austin girls varsity for the past four years. In the classroom, Jessica carries a strong 3.67 GPA and ranks in the Top 50 in her class of nearly three-hundred students. Her name shows up frequently on the Honor Roll list and she has recently become a member of the National Honors Society. Jessica has proven to be quite the community contributor. She has volunteered her time to help with the NALC (National Association of Letter Carriers) food drive. Jessica has made time to help with the Key Club, whose goal is to teach leadership skills through helping others. She’s also been a “Tiger Team Buddy”, where she has helped plan activities for peers with special needs. Congratulations, Jessica!
