She Hasn't Chosen Her Future Yet. But She's Already Making a Difference.
If Jaimee Reed could be any character, she would choose Barbie. Not because of the fashion or the pink, but because Barbie has never been limited to one possibility. She can be a doctor, a teacher, a businesswoman, an athlete, or just about anything she dreams of becoming.
Jaimee sees a little bit of herself in that.
After Will C. Wood High School, she plans to attend a four-year college and eventually earn a doctorate. She hasn't decided whether she'll pursue medicine or education, but she's not worried about having just one plan. She's spent high school exploring her interests while finding plenty of ways to make an impact along the way.
Jaimee has been part of AVID since seventh grade, and at Wood, she's continued to seek opportunities to learn, lead and serve.
Her favorite classes—Service Leadership, AVID and History—reflect the things she values most: learning, preparing for her future and making a difference in her community.
Ms. Gordon has watched that growth firsthand, teaching Jaimee throughout all four years of AVID.
“Jaimee is astute, mature, and incredibly hard-working,” Gordon said. “She sets high expectations and goals for herself and works diligently toward achieving them. She welcomes every new and engaging opportunity to learn.”
But what stands out most isn't simply what Jaimee accomplishes for herself. It's what she does for others.
“Jaimee is a natural-born leader who is always willing to go above and beyond to assist in every way,” Gordon said. “Her leadership at every level has been indispensable to our school.”
That leadership is especially evident in Jaimee's commitment to service.
As a Service Leader, Jaimee has learned that making an impact doesn't always require a grand gesture. Sometimes, it means making sure someone knows they are appreciated.
“My favorite part about being a Service Leader is being able to watch the little things make a huge impact,” Jaimee said. “I believe that everyone deserves appreciation in a world that can already be so cruel.”
Whether she's recognizing a student, celebrating a teacher or staff member, or volunteering at school and district events, Jaimee looks for ways to make people feel seen and included. She carries that commitment beyond Wood, too, spending more than three years working with preschool children at Harvest Church in Vacaville and volunteering at Night to Shine, a local special-needs prom.
“A life of service is a life well spent,” Gordon said. “Jaimee lives by this creed. She embodies the qualities and characteristics of a Girls State representative.”
That same determination has shaped Jaimee's experience as a student-athlete.
She's been a thrower for nearly six years, often one of the few girls competing in a male-dominated event. Rather than letting that set her apart, Jaimee used the experience to focus on her technique, her goals and her own growth.
“I was able to push myself to the limits and learn how to be my biggest motivator,” she said.
Her hard work has paid off. Jaimee placed second in the league in shot put during both her sophomore and junior years, an accomplishment she's especially proud of. She's also a member of the volleyball team, where she has grown as an athlete and become a source of encouragement for her teammates.
Yet some of Jaimee's favorite high school memories have nothing to do with competition. She loves Homecoming rallies and watching the band and student clubs perform; moments that celebrate the people and school community that have made Wood home.
That's perhaps the best reflection of who Jaimee is.
She's ambitious about her own future, but she's equally invested in the people around her. She leads, volunteers, encourages, and looks for ways to make her school a place where everyone feels included.
As graduation approaches, Jaimee still has a big decision ahead of her. Medicine or education? A white coat or a classroom?
For now, she's giving herself permission to dream about both.
After all, that's what she admires about Barbie: the freedom to imagine more than one future.
And whatever path Jaimee ultimately chooses, the people who know her already know what she'll bring with her: determination, humility and a genuine desire to make a difference.
She may not know exactly where she's going yet. But she's already showing us the kind of person she'll be when she gets there.