Class of 2019 member Presley Dougherty has not only carried on her family tradition in music, but expanded her horizons in the community. Dougherty takes part in indoor color guard, marching band, concert band percussion, academic team, and Girl Scouts.

Dougherty’s mother, Patty Dougherty, is a drummer in the all-girl band, Wicked Jezabel. Her older brother, Patrick Dougherty, is a 2015 alumni, and participated in the marching band drumline and percussion as section leader.

Percussion section leader and class of 2017 member Jessie Palmer said, “She’s extremely talented, has a beautiful voice and is so good at so many different things.”

Coming from a musical family, Dougherty has always been exposed to the arts. “I really like musical theatre and the performance aspects of both [band and theatre]… I try to be as active as possible.”

In the 2016 production of Elephant and Piggie, Dougherty was the only freshman in the cast of the 11. She was inducted in the Drama Honor Society and was awarded with the “Lazzie” (The drama department awards that are handed out at the end of the school year) for “most outstanding newcomer.”

Dougherty manages to balance all aspects of her life by keeping on a schedule. “I try to devote Mondays to my Gold Award, Tuesdays and Thursdays I have academic team, color guard and… percussion ensemble. I use PREP and percussion class to practice, and I work the play or musical schedules around that.”

This year, she achieved the Gold Award in Girl Scouts. For her project, Dougherty designed and built a sensory and butterfly garden at Woodfield Elementary School in an enclosed courtyard of the school that previously held no purpose. The garden also fell in line with the second grade curriculum, where the classes released butterflies.

“The PEP kids (students younger than those in kindergarten) do a unit on the five senses. I made the once wasted space usable and productive for a hands on learning environment,” Dougherty explained.

Dougherty’s impact on the community also reflects on her personal attitude.

“She’s hilarious and so caring for her friends and even people she doesn’t know,” said Palmer.

Dougherty dreams of pursuing theatre or acting in the future, but for now, she plans to study in the scientific field.