The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Meet Your Neighbor

by Christy Kienast, The Quill

Meet your neighbor and Illini West Senior- Danielle Henderson of Carthage.

She was born in Pekin, and moved to Jacksonville when she was 6. She has lived in Carthage since she was 12.

Danielle is the daughter of Angie Henderson of Carthage and Don Henderson of Pekin.

Her mother Angie is a paraprofessional at Dallas City Elementary and her father Don is a funeral director at Davison-Fulton Funeral homes in Peoria.

Danielle has two sisters. Her twin sister, Ashlyn, 17 is also a senior at Illini West and little sister Reaux Terpening is 4 and lives in East Peoria and she begins preschool in the fall.

Danielle's grandparents are J.R. and Doris Heady of Jacksonville, and Merl and Linda Henderson of Pekin.

Danielle is on the high honor roll at Illini West and is an Illinois State Scholar.

She has been very active during her high school career. She's involved in the Illini West Band- 2014 West Central Conference Band, Future Business Leaders of America where she's placed several times in competitions including first in 2015 Western Area FBLA Business Communications and 2nd place for 2015 Western Area FBLA Battle of Chapters.

She's involved in the International Club, Students Against Destructive Decisions, National Honor Society, Scholastic Bowl, Student Council, Drama Club, FTC Robotics Club, Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering, ICTM Math Team and is an American Legion Auxiliary Junior Member (17 years).

She attended the 74th Session of the American Legion Auxiliary Illini Girls State.

Danielle has worked at Hardees in Carthage since July 2014 and prior to that, at the Dairy Queen in Carthage from July 2013 until June 2014.

Her favorite high school memories come from the Illinois High School Theatre Festival. She says it is a magical event filled with some of the most talented high school students from across the state.

In the 3 years that she has attended, she has seen the All State Productions of Memphis, The Grapes of Wrath, and Pippin. She met Chad Kimball, who starred in Memphis on Broadway!

In her spare time, Danielle knits, plays the trumpet, bakes cookies, watches musicals, hangs out with friends and watches Netflix.

After graduation in May of 2015, Danielle plans to attend Illinois College in Jacksonville.

She says, they have a "great 3-2 Occupational Therapy program with Washington University in St. Louis." and this will enable her to graduate a year sooner.