Timberlake senior strives for diversity awareness

Jessicca Kerstetter intends to leave her mark on the world much like the person from whom she took her name.

“I was born the same year as when baby Jessica was pulled from the well,” said the senior at Timberlake High School.

Her grandparents did not care for the name her mom originally had chosen, so instead Kerstetter was named after the 18-month-old Jessica McClure, who captured the world’s attention and hearts during her ordeal and rescue from an 8-inch pipe in Midland, Texas, in 1987.

“But I spell it with two c’s,” said Kerstetter. “My mom wanted to mix it up a bit.”

An energetic 18-year-old, Kerstetter quickly became involved in many activities both in and out of school after moving to North Idaho from Pocatello before her sophomore year. The activities to which she devotes her time give one a glimpse of the maturity and integrity of this young woman.

For the past two years, Kerstetter has served as president of Club Peace, an acronym for “People Everywhere Are Created Equal.” As part of the group’s efforts to raise awareness of and sensitivity to diversity, Kerstetter and the other seven members plan several activities and fundraisers.

“We highlight how everyone is equal no matter what,” Kerstetter said. Activities such as Friendship Week, in which kids from different cliques are paired up as secret buddies and their identities are revealed at an ice cream social at the end of the week, have been a big hit.

Friendship Week “was really successful this year,” Kerstetter said.

The club also strives to give back to the community with an annual Walk for Peace. Students participate by collecting pledges and walking around the school track. The proceeds are given to a local charity.

Kerstetter said the club prides itself on raising money for scholarships that are awarded to graduating seniors.

“Last year, we gave away two $450 scholarships,” she said. This year, the group already has raised $980 with at least one more fundraiser being planned.

As part of its fundraising efforts, Club Peace, with Kerstetter at the helm, has held two basketball games in which teachers battle students. But the third one, Kerstetter said, is sure to be the highlight.

On May 8, Club Peace will hold a donkey basketball game in which participants ride donkeys while playing basketball.

“We’ve got stubborn donkeys and rowdy donkeys, so you will see it all,” Kerstetter said. “The principal has pretty much made it mandatory for him and the vice principal to participate.”

But Kerstetter’s activities do not stop with Club Peace. She also is directing the drama club’s spring production, “The Bachelor King.” She describes the play as a spoof on “The Bachelor” and “American Idol” TV shows.

“It’s hilarious,” Kerstetter said. She adds that the job of director has been more fun than work. “I have a great cast. They make my job really easy.”

Adding to her social activism and her interest in the arts is her involvement with the wrestling team. She is manager for both the varsity and junior varsity teams. She travels with them to matches, keeps up on the team stats, checks uniforms in and out and makes sure all needed supplies are with the teams as they travel to their matches.

Kerstetter says one of her fondest memories of high school was at last year’s banquet when the team presented her with a hooded sweatshirt with the team logo.

Participating in all these activities while maintaining a grade-point average of approximately 3.9 may seem overwhelming for almost anyone – but not for Kerstetter. In addition, she works delivering pizzas and soon will return to her summer job at Silverwood Theme Park, where she will be supervisor of retail for her second year.

“It is really fun to work there,” she said. “I love it because you also get to be outside.”

When the summer is over, Kerstetter will attend Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston. She plans to obtain a teaching degree in secondary education along with a major in history and minors in both drama and math.

But as she goes through life, Kerstetter plans to keep one mission at the forefront of all she does – to raise awareness of diversity.

“It is important to me to teach people that people everywhere are created equal,” she said. “I have a multicultural background, and I myself celebrate many different cultures.”