The top 15 students of the Amboy High School Class of 2019 are Emma Bickett, Kelynn Boyle, Breanna Fisher, Bailee Highbarger, Savannah Ikens, Noelle Jones, Clayton Kemp, Rachel Lachat, Shannon Lytle, Mitchell McLaughlin, Kaitlyn Ortgiesen, Mackenzie Payne, Cameron Simpson, Mary Thompson, Hunter Zimmerly. 

Emma Bickett

Emma Bickett is the daughter of Scott and Lisa Bickett of Sublette.

She is a member of the National Honor Society (secretary) and Spanish Honor Society. For the past four years, she has been involved in FFA, backstage crew for the musical and plays, Student Council, Leo’s Lions Club, and AYSO soccer. She has also been a member of the Maytown Comets 4-H club for the past eight years, holding secretary and vice president positions. Throughout FFA she has attended National and State conventions, the Women Changing the Face of Ag Conference and many other agriculture events as well as teaching Ag in the Classroom to 8th graders at Amboy Junior High School.

She plans to attend Illinois State University in Normal and major in Elementary Education with an endorsement in math. In the future, she plans to teach 3rd or 4th graders.

Kelynn Boyle

Kelynn Boyle is the daughter of Jim and Tracy Boyle of Amboy.

She participated in track, cross country, National Honor Society, Outdoor Club, Leo’s Club and musical.

She received January Student of the Month, was accepted into National Honor Society, and went to state for cross country two years in a row.

She plans to get an Associate’s Degree at Sauk Valley Community College and also run track and cross country and then transfer to Carl Sandburg to become a dental hygienist.

Breanna Fisher

Breanna Fisher is the daughter of Chad and Nicole Fisher of Amboy.

She participated in basketball, track and FFA. She received the Letters About Literature Award, scholarship for Health Occupations Class at Whiteside Career Center, scholarship to play women’s basketball at Sauk Valley Community college, Country Companies Award for basketball, Most Improved Player Award for basketball, selected to play in the Sauk Valley Media All-Star Basketball Classic and honor roll.

She plans to attend Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon as a nursing major to pursue a career as a registered nurse.

Bailee Highbarger

Bailee Highbarger is the daughter of Randy and Becky Highbarger of Amboy.

She participated in FFA (3 years), National Honor Society (2 years), Spanish Honor Society (3 years), Student Council (4 years), Leo’s Club (2 years) and Class Officer (4 years). She played varsity softball all four years of high school. As a freshman, she received academic all-conference and honorable mention; sophomore year was awarded academic all-conference and second team all-conference; junior year awarded team MVP, academic all-conference, 1st team all-conference, and honorable mention; and senior year, she received Athlete of the Week for the week of March 31-April 6.

She plans to attend Quincy University in Quincy and double major in Forensic Psychology and Spanish with a double minor in Arabic and Criminology. She will also join the Hawk softball team this fall. Her intended career is in the FBI as a detective for the Behavioral Analysis Unit.

Savannah Ikens

Savannah Ikens is the daughter of Shane and Toni Ikens of Amboy.

She participated in volleyball (freshman-senior year) and received Most Determined Player Award (sophomore volleyball), Team Leader Award (freshmen volleyball), Best Serve (junior volleyball), softball (freshman-senior year) and received Second Team All-Conference (junior softball), National Honor Society (sophomore-senior year), Spanish Honor Society (sophomore-senior year, vice president senior year), Leos Club (junior-senior year), Academic All-Conference and High Honor Roll (freshman-senior year). 

She plans to attend the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa in the fall, where she will be a pre-med major in the college of Liberal Arts and Sciences to pursue a future career in orthopedic surgery.

Noelle Jones

Noelle Jones is the daughter of Betsy Jones and Willie Jones of Amboy.

She participated in volleyball, basketball, softball (all 4 years), received Golden Glove for Softball, was captain for the varsity basketball team (2 years), captain for the varsity volleyball team, MVP for varsity basketball (2 years), Athlete of the Week Sauk Valley News, Honorable Mention Sauk Valley, played in the All-Star Rock Valley Game, December Student of the Month-AHS, nominee for Young Women in Leadership-YWCA, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society (president), and Leo’s Club.

She plans to attend Sauk Valley Community College to further her academic and athletic career. She signed to play basketball at SVCC in early December and she plans to get an Associates in Business and then transfer to the University of Wisconsin Madison to major in Business Administration (Real Estate Finance).

Clayton Kemp

Clayton Kemp is the son of David and Kathy Kemp of Dixon.

He was a class officer 4 years (president freshman and junior, treasurer sophomore and senior), National Honor Society (3 years, vice president senior), Spanish Honor Society (3 years), Leos Club (2 years, vice president junior, president senior), Band (4 years, vice president junior), Outdoors Club (1 year, secretary), golf (varsity team 4 years, sectionals junior and senior, State, All-Conference Team, Low Stroke Male senior), and baseball (varsity 3 years sophomore-senior, Golden Glove senior, Honorable Mention junior). He is an Illinois State Scholar and on Highest Honor Role throughout high school.

He plans to attend Augustana College in Rock Island to study biology and health sciences. His future goal is to become a pediatrician.

Rachel Lachat

Rachel Lachat is the daughter of Frank and Keri Lachat of Amboy.

She has been involved in basketball, volleyball, softball, track, FFA, school plays, school musicals, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Outdoors Club, and Leo’s Club. She received high honors on the honor roll, the All Academic Award, and the Triple Crown Award. 

She plans to attend Benedictine University in Lisle to major in Health Science. After graduating from Benedictine, she plans to continue her education and become a certified Physician Assistant.

Shannon Lytle

Shannon Lytle is the daughter of Bruce and Christa Lytle of Dixon.

She has been involved in volleyball (4 years) MVP and 2nd team/academic all-conference, softball (4 years) 2nd team/academic all-conference, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and Leo’s Club.

She plans to attend Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon to study nursing and continue her volleyball career.

Mitchell McLaughlin

Mitchell McLaughlin is the son of Jim and Stephanie McLaughlin of Amboy.

He participated in baseball (2016 and 2017 first team all-conference, 2017 team MVP and silver slugger), basketball (2017-18 and 2018-19 honorable mention all-conference), football (2018 first team all-conference), National Honor Society (2016-2019), Spanish Honor Society (2016-2019), Leo’s Club (2017-2019), and is an Illinois State Scholar.

He plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Platteville to study Ag Engineering and Technology.

Kaitlyn Ortgiesen

Kaitlyn Ortgiesen is the daughter of James and Kathy Ortgiesen of Dixon.

She participated in cross country (four years), track and field (four years), Leo Club (junior and senior), Student Council (treasurer), National Honor Society (president), Spanish Honor Society, Outdoor Club (2019), and Academic Team. She is an Illinois All-State Scholar, IMEA Illinois All-State Band Participant (2017), IMEA District Band Participant (2015-2018), and Amboy High School September Student of the Month.

She plans to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and major in biochemistry. She intends to become a biomedical scientist and research various diseases. She hopes to one day work for the Centers for Disease Control.

Mackenzie Payne

Mackenzie Payne is the daughter of Crystal O’Malley and Timothy O’Malley of Amboy.

She participated in National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Leo’s Club, softball, Outdoor Club, Academic All-Conference, and is an Illinois State Scholar. 

Cameron Simpson

Cameron Simpson is the son of Dale and Melissa Simpson of Amboy.

He participated in National Honor Society, was Student of the Month, Whiteside Area Career Center Student of the Month for Computer Tech, TestOut PC Pro Certification Theater, Chorus: ILMEA All District Senior Chorus (3 years; 2 years with honors), ILMEA All State Chorus, and received the National School Choral Award.

He plans to earn Computer Technology certificates through TestOut. He will move to Las Vegas, Nev. and go into Computer Technology with a goal of becoming a network or system administrator. 

Mary Thompson

Mary Thompson is the daughter of Brad and Jen Thompson of Amboy.

She is a member of the Illinois High School Rodeo Association, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, FFA, 4-H, and Highest Honor Roll.

She plans to attend Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla. and major in animal science. She then plans to continue on to veterinary school.

Hunter Zimmerly

Hunter Zimmerly is the son of Cory Zimmerly and Joanie Zimmerly of Amboy. 

He participated in baseball, football and basketball all four years. He is a member of National Honor Society (treasurer) and Spanish Honor Society.

He plans to attend Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, where he will play baseball. His future goal is to work in the architectural field.