Pinckneyville High School valedictorian earns associate degree at same time
One week before she graduated from Pinckneyville High School, Kenzie Rushing walked across the Rend Lake College commencement stage to receive her Associate in Science degree. Years of hard work are over, another goal complete. A new journey has started.
"It was definitely worth it," Rushing said of all the extra work she had to put in to realize something few students accomplish.
As soon as she could as a junior, Rushing started taking dual credit courses through Rend Lake and Pinckneyville High School. An award-winning athlete, Rushing's basketball career was cut short by injury. Losing a senior season would cause many student-athletes to lose focus, especially in the midst of COVID-19. Instead, Rushing saw an opportunity.
"I've always been very driven when it comes to school. I always played sports too," she said. "But then I tore my ACL in July before my senior year. My junior year I took dual credit courses from my high school for Rend Lake. And then after I wasn't going to be able to play basketball my senior year, I decided I could go ahead and take extra Rend Lake College classes to get a bit ahead. I found out I was only a few classes away from my associate degree."
Rushing said the treatment she received for her injuries has inspired her to go into the medical field.
"The whole experience made me think I would be really good at helping people the same way they were helping me," she said. "It was tough, and after going through that, I will be able to relate to the patients even more."
Rushing graduated as the valedictorian of her class and was listed on the high honor roll all four years of high school. She won several other academic and athletic honors, including All-State, All-Conference, and All-South in track and basketball. She was named on the IHSA All-State Academic Team and became an Illinois State Scholar.
Her mother, Cheri Rushing, said Kenzie was driven from a very young age. Kenzie cared about her schoolwork when she was in preschool at Rend Lake College Foundation Children's Center and that drive followed throughout grade school and high school.
When Cheri handed her daughter her diploma during RLC's commencement ceremony, she was overcome with different emotions.
"I had to fight back the tears," Cheri said. "(I felt) a sense of pride and happiness in her accomplishments because I know how hard she worked, the self-discipline and dedication it took to accomplish receiving her diploma from RLC and keeping up grades in high school. Many times, things look easy on the surface, but it takes work to get results in whatever you do."
Kenzie graduated from Pinckneyville High School on May 16. She will finish a few classes this summer before she attends Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Afterward she plans to enroll in medical school to pursue becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
She encourages anyone to enroll in dual credit and dual enrollment courses as a head start to their academic journey.
"I would highly, highly recommend it," Rushing said. "I think it is a great opportunity that the college offers. I know there are a lot of schools in the area that offer it as well.
Regardless if you get your associate degree or not, most likely (your credits) will transfer. It is just a great way for you to get ahead in your schooling."
Local students and families have saved more than $17 million over the 20 years dual credit has been a program at RLC. To learn more about it, head online to rlc.edu/dualcredit.