My Cousin's a rockstar

 YOUNG CITIZEN of THE YEAR
 HERRIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Our Young Citizen of the Year for 2009 
excels in every endeavor she chooses. 
She is a leader in her class.  
She is a driven, goal oriented young woman.  
She serves and she shines. Oh, how she shines.  
She is bright, sincere, and
determined in her choices to make life 
better for those around her.

She is a junior/senior member of Lead SI, 
a group founded by Mantra Con and SIU
to grow local leaders and keep the best 
students home in southern Illinois. With
Lead SI she distributed Veteran's Day gifts 
at the Marion VA Hospital. This year
she is an APLHA Peer leader and she is a 
four-year member of the Math Team and a
four-year participant in the Carbondale Math 
Field Day.

She attended the World Wide Youth in 
Science and Engineering her sophomore,
junior and senior years.  She is a three-year 
member of the Student Chamber of
Commerce and is currently treasurer.

She is a member of the Herrin Tiger Golf 
team and has played for the Tigers her
sophomore, junior and senior years.  
She was a freshman and sophomore
cheerleader and played freshman 
volleyball and track.  She was a 
member of the Spanish Club her sophomore year.  
She was an attendant in the Homecoming
Coronation this year.


She participates in many activities, 
but remains focused on the activity she is
involved in and gives 110 percent to each.  
She volunteers, she doesn't just
show up, she works and works some more.

She is a member of Lifesavers and is presently 
a nominee for Miss Herrin High
School.  She was voted Most Likely to succeed by 
her Senior Class and is a Youth
Leader at Life Church in Marion, IL

She finds time to work part time at the 
Herrin Farm Fresh Store.  Her community
work has included Hospice of Southern Illinois 
fishing tournaments and trivia nights.

She was an Elf at the 
Williamson County Child Advocacy Center's Santa House in
December, as well as a Bell Ringer for 
the Salvation Army's annual Christmas
Drive.  She helped the Herrin Chamber of Commerce
 with the Halloween Trail of Treats and the 
autumn Chamber Yard Sale.

She was inducted into the prestigious 
National Honor Society during her junior
year and is now a senior member.

Her duties have been many, but she 
maintains a joy in living and a commitment to
excellence.  She helps her fellow students, 
the members of her church and those
less fortunate. She is a student of 
learning and of life.  She looks to the
future and represents what is best 
about the children of Herrin.

She has been accepted at the 
University of Illinois School of Bio-Engineering
and Southern Illinois University. 
One of those will be her college home in
September.

She is the only child of Chris and 
Lori Cogdill of Herrin.   We honor a young
woman on the brink of everything. 
Let us welcome Jessica Cogdill to receive the
Young Citizen of the Year Award for 2009 
from the Herrin Chamber of Commerce.



She got all the good genes. =)