Senior Spotlight: Chasney Vue, A Young Lady Serving Her Community
Chasney Vue may be small in stature, but in no way should this young lady be overlooked. She is a senior at Middleton High School (MHS), who has excelled academically and athletically, already making her presence well known. Despite those accomplishments, Chasney has also become known for her compassion for others, which has blossomed into a heart and dedication for community service.
“I’ve always loved giving back to my community and helping out,” said Chasney, who has been in participation for a fundraiser she is doing at Christmas at the Crossroads, which will be held at the Middleton Community Center this weekend. “I will be a vendor raising money for St. Jude. I will be selling egg rolls, fried rice plates, cookbooks, and T-shirts.”
Chasney was selected as a model for the My Best Friend Jenna’s annual Lights, Camera, Fashion (LCF) prom runway fashion show, which is a fundraiser for St. Jude. Each year, hundreds of girls apply for the opportunity and Chasney was one of 39 selected to participate this year. Along with the fundraiser in Middleton, she is partnering with other LCF models for a ‘Tea Party with Disney Princesses’ on Sunday, January 5, 2025, in Jackson.
Although balancing community service projects, school, and athletics has been a lot of work, Chasney has managed to make everything come together while excelling in all three areas. What that looks like at the high school level in Chasney’s world is being named to the Principal’s Honor Roll (all A’s) for the first nine weeks of the 2024/2025 school year. She is a member of the MHS volleyball team, which finished its season as district champions. Chasney also participates in the HOSA Club and is vice-president of the Beta Club. Over the years, she has come to love history and English.
“A teacher that has left an impact on my life would have to be Mrs. Kelsey Kirk, who is also our vice principal. Mrs. Kirk has always pushed me to do my best and she always assures me that I can and will accomplish anything I put my mind to,” said Chasney. “Mrs. Kirk does not only care about the school system, but she truly cares about the students that go there too. She takes time to get to know each student on a personal level. She has profoundly influenced me to recognize the positive aspects within challenging situations, even when things appear difficult.”
Chasney is the second oldest child in her family, and the oldest daughter. She could have taken an easier academic path while in high school, but her aspirations are higher.
“From a young age, my mother has always reminded me, ‘you are going to do great things in life’ and I am determined to fulfill that promise,” said Chasney, who describes herself as outgoing, brave, and confident.”
Chasney is a student in the Middle College program through Jackson State Community College (JSCC). In May 2025, she will receive a high school diploma from MHS and an associate’s degree in general studies from JSCC. In September 2024, Chasney was selected as the MHS representative to serve in the Southwest Human Resource Agency (SHRA) Student Leadership Program.
“In this program, we will learn about human resources and work food drives. We will also take a trip to Nashville to the state capital and meet our legislators. I am honored to represent my school,” said Chasney, who shared more about the program. “Each student is challenged to find a senior citizen and provide them with a Chromebook. They will learn how to access the Internet, and we will also tell them about the SHRA transportation system. The SHRA provides a transportation bus. So, if they are unable to get around. We can help them find a way to get groceries or even run errands or get them to work safely. I am grateful for this opportunity, and cannot wait to share with students at my school and my community what I have learned so far in the program.”Chasney has enjoyed her years at MHS. Although the time has been too short for everything she has wanted to do, she appreciates being able to help the people she has with the assistance of a supportive school administration and staff.
“I will miss not only the amazing opportunities they have given me, but I will miss the supportive staff and administrators at MHS. Each member of staff there has supported me in many ways whether that be allowing me to fundraise at the school, giving me ideas for more ways to fundraise, donating to me, or even the kind words the staff have said to me to assure I am doing great things for my community,” said Chasney, who also noted how much her family has helped in her efforts. “My parents have stood by me through every important moment, always cheering me on and encouraging me to reach my goals. My mother, especially, dedicates so much of her time to help me with every fundraiser and event. I truly couldn’t accomplish any of this without them. I hope one day to be half the woman my mother is and to continue to make my father proud.”
After graduation, Chasney plans to attend the University of Tennessee at Knoxville majoring in political science on the prelaw track in hopes of becoming a lawyer one day. Making a difference in her community is always on Chasney’s mind with everything she does.
“I hope to inspire others to remember that kindness can make a lasting difference—because you never truly know what someone else might be going through. I want to encourage everyone to give back to the community, to show gratitude by lifting others up,” said Chasney.
Just in case you are wondering if Chasney has down time, outside of school, well she does.
“I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I also enjoy working on my car and helping out on the farm,” said Chasney.
Because friendship is important to Chasney, she is already making plans for another fundraiser to benefit a close friend of hers, who recently lost his mother due to illness, and also suffered an athletic injury.
“I decided to do a benefit to help him out, I’m going to call it ‘Benefit for Bran Bran’. I’m planning on selling egg rolls one day at the gas station in town at the four-way, because I know that if I can raise money for St. Jude, I can raise money for him too,” said Chasney, who shared more of her heart. “No one should ever have to go through this alone and I also know that recovering from funeral expenses is not easy, so I would like to help him out too. I talked to my school and to Brandon and I’m planning something great for him as well.”
Chasney appreciates the constant support she receives for her community service efforts, especially with the fundraising she does. That encouragement motivates her to give back, and she is inspired by the generosity to continue making a positive impact.
“I hope others will see that being bold, stepping out of their comfort zone, and believing in themselves can make their dreams a reality. We all have the power to create positive change, if we approach life with an open heart and an outgoing spirit,” said Chasney.
Chasney will be a vendor at the Christmas at the Crossroads shoppers event on Friday and Saturday, November 15 – 16, 2024. You may purchase items from Chasney onsite or place orders for items to support her fundraising effort.
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