By Gina Greco
Town of Webb senior Mackenzie Kelly, 17, arrived to Old Forge from Sauquoit in the seventh grade.
“My family has had a camp here since I was little. On Sunday nights, we always wanted to stay at least one more night—so we decided to move up here,” she said.
She has explored a few college choices, but says she is pretty confident that she will be attending Sienna in the fall.
She plans to major in Pre-Dentistry and minor in Business.
“I knew at a very young age that I wanted to become a dentist,” she said, adding that she wanted to specialize in a single body area.
“The responsibilities are different than those of a physician. I wouldn’t want to diagnose children, or someone that is really sick,” she said.
Mackenzie’s favorite class is Physics. “It is very hands on with all kinds of experiments,” she said.
Her favorite teachers are Ms. Gaudin, Mr. Kinney and Mr. Cunningham.
“They’re just a lot of fun,” she said.
Mackenzie is a member of chorus and performed in this year’s school play.
She is on the Webb varsity soccer, softball and basketball teams.
“Softball is my favorite team sport,” she said.
She also plays softball for two travel teams in Utica.
She was asked to do a walk-on try out for softball at college.
“Only a few students get asked to try out. If I make the team, I will play for the college,” she said.
Mackenzie is busy with a number of clubs including National Honor Society, Key Club, Big Sisters Club, Varsity Club, and Drama Club. She is also Vice President of her class.
Outside of school she enjoys fishing, skiing and occasional hunting.
“Playing softball takes up a lot of my spare time,” she said.
In the summer, she is an advisor for the playschool program. She has also bussed tables for some local restaurants.
Her favorite kind of music is country, along with some contemporary pop.
Her mother and stepfather are Stephanie and Ray Randall. Her father and stepmother are Rich and Heather Kelly.
She has one brother, Josh, and three half-siblings, Brayden, Cullen and Madison.
Mackenzie’s biggest influence has been her mother.
“She has always pushed me to do better, and pushed me to do what I want to do,” she said.
She has two dogs, Dax and Grizzly, that she said she will miss a lot when she goes to college.
Her favorite memory involves the school’s Columbus Day festivities. “It was always a lot of fun,” she said.
This summer, she plans to work a lot and play travel-team softball.
Mackenzie is looking forward to graduation, but admits she is a little scared.
“I’m going to miss how small the town is, and how we are one big family. If you need help with anything, someone will always be there looking out for you,” she said.