ALTON - Taylor Saunders is one of the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club Students of the Month for September 2026.
Saunders is a senior at Alton High School who plans to graduate early in December 2026. Throughout her four years at AHS, Taylor has challenged herself academically through numerous Honors and Advanced Placement courses and currently holds a 4.45 GPA. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and participates in Alton High School’s Cooperative Work Training (CWT) program, which allows students to gain valuable workplace experience while completing their high school education.
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Through the CWT program, Taylor works at Apex Network Physical Therapy in Godfrey, where she assists with a variety of responsibilities, including entering patient information, preparing and cleaning equipment and treatment areas, and helping support the daily operations of the clinic. The experience has provided her with an opportunity to develop professional skills while exploring a field connected to her future interests.
Taylor has been actively involved at Alton High School throughout her high school career. For all four years, she has participated in both choir and girls golf. She was selected to serve as a choir representative during her junior year and is currently a member of the Honors Choir. Outside of school, Taylor enjoys baking, fishing, painting, camping, and creative writing.
Service to others has also been an important part of Taylor’s life. Since she was young, she has volunteered annually at the Salvation Army’s Thanksgiving dinner. She has also volunteered at a Multiple Sclerosis fundraising bicycle race and assisted East Elementary School with preparations for the beginning of the school year. As a member of the National Honor Society, Taylor looks forward to continuing to serve the Alton community through additional service projects.
Following her early graduation from Alton High School, Taylor plans to begin taking general education courses at Lewis and Clark Community College before attending Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to pursue her undergraduate degree. Her long-term goal is to earn a medical degree specializing in pathology, with plans to attend the SIU School of Medicine and eventually complete her residency at BJC HealthCare.
Taylor credits her family, teachers, and mentors with helping her reach this point. She is especially thankful for the support and guidance of Mrs. Laaker, her biology teacher and National Honor Society sponsor, and Dr. Anderson, as well as her family, who have supported her throughout her busy high school career.
With early graduation approaching, Taylor is excited to begin the next chapter of her education and continue working toward her goal of a career in medicine while remaining committed to serving her community.
