Keeleigh Rush is the Salutatorian for Quitman High School.
She has been involved in numerous clubs, including National Technical Honor Society (NTHS), Beta Club, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), National Honor Society (NHS), and HOSA. Out of all the clubs she participated in, HOSA was one of her favorites. She was the treasurer in HOSA.
Along with the different clubs, she has been involved in multiple athletics in the district. She participated in softball and soccer for six years, ran cross country for one year, and she was the high school mascot for two years.
Over the years, she made a lot of great memories.
“My favorite memory in high school would be either playing Bugatti ball in the softball locker room or watching Mindi fall during our freshman year,” recalled Keeleigh. “Every time we turn on the new wing, I just remember her falling face first into the ground.”
There are also some things she enjoys doing outside of school that has allowed her to make some great memories over the years.
“I love to go to the beach,” declared Keeleigh. “Pickleball is definitely one of my favorite things to do. I love swimming, and I love going on long drives.”
Now that she has graduated, she has plans to continue her education to get her dream career.
“I plan on finishing my phlebotomy class right now and becoming a phlebotomist over the summer,” explained Keeleigh. “Then, I plan on going to Itawamba Community College in the fall of 2026 and doing a physical therapy assistant program. After that, I plan on going to the University of Mississippi and getting my bachelor's degree for kinesiology and becoming a physical therapist. I’ve had two different surgeries from sports, and every time I’ve gone to physical therapy, especially for my knee which is the most recent surgery I had, I had the best experience at my physical therapy place. I made some of my best friends and still talk to my physical therapist now. I plan on giving back by doing what they did for me for other people. They made such a hard time so easy.”
With the experience she has gained over the years, she does have some advice for underclassmen.
“It’s okay to believe in yourself, and it’s okay not to follow everybody else,” advised Keeleigh. “You can always say no and that something isn’t really your type of thing. You can do your own thing. You can be your own person.”
With her optimism and determined nature, she is sure to succeed in everything she puts her mind to.
