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ALTON - Remarkable Redbird of the Month is senior Peyton Baker. Peyton is an outstanding leader at Alton High in many ways.
Peyton has multiple responsibilities within the sports program. One highly involved role she has is a leader of the Redbird Nest, a group of over 250 students who attend Redbird sporting events. Peyton does a tremendous job of exemplifying Redbird Spirit while displaying good sportsmanship in her leadership. She brings passion and energy to all sporting events as the leader of the Redbird Nest in teaching the members what to say and when to say it as she knows all sports well.
Peyton was also an integral part of the student showing for the Fox 2 Pep Zone that featured Alton High School earlier this school year and was interviewed by Fox 2's Laura Simon during the broadcast.
Pep Zone: Alton High School (fox2now.com)
In talking with Alton High School Assistant Principal Vernon Curvey recently, he shared a story of a member of the Redbird Nest throwing an object toward a field during a recent game, and rather than a teacher, parent, or a member of the administration correcting the offending student, Peyton stepped in as the leader to tell the student..." we don't do that." Assistant Principal Vernon Curvey added..."that's Peyton, being Peyton."
As a junior, not only was Peyton voted the Prom Queen, but she was also the starting goalkeeper of the Alton High girls' soccer team who posted a 17-5 record last season. Peyton also had 11 shutouts. One reason Peyton felt was key to the team's success last season was addressing adversity right away and coming up with a plan to make things better.
Peyton's fondest game memory of last season was winning a penalty kick shootout vs. Belleville East, but some of her favorite times are when the bus is about 5 minutes away from getting back to school following a game away from home and the song Country Road by John Denver is played by a member of the team. Peyton says that about 30-40 members of the soccer program are singing the song as the bus pulls into the school parking lot and it's a lot of fun.
Peyton also gives a lot of credit to her twin sister, Emily. Not only is Emily also a member of the soccer team, but she has also been Peyton's right-hand and main helper for the Redbird Nest. Emily helps Peyton with bringing equipment including drums, flags, megaphones, and banners to events to help the student body show off the Redbird school spirit.
Peyton will be the recipient of both an academic and athletic scholarship to attend McKendree College in Lebanon next year where she will major in Biology with the intention of becoming a travel nurse or nurse practitioner with a specialty in orthopedic nursing.
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