During her time at RJ Reynolds High School, Mattie Reeves has made a huge impact on the people she’s talked to and the clubs she joined. She has been a part of the Photo Club and Creative Writing Club as well as being a National Honor Society student and a Crosby Scholar. With Reeves’ dedication and work ethic throughout her high school career, she pushed herself to not only get what she wanted but provide herself with unforgettable experiences. 

“I came into Reynolds not knowing a lot of people and going to Photoclub opened me up to making friends in all different grades,” Reeves said. “It helped me open up as well as teaching me lots of photo techniques.”

“She is a young woman always looking for inspiration and knowledge to stretch her understanding of the world around her,” Creative Writing teacher at RJR Stacy Jolly said.

Moreover, in 2018 Mattie Reeves took her talent and experiences to the Booksmart Nonprofit Teen Advisory Council(BNTAC). The BNTAC is a book club that holds meetings once a month discussing young adult authors and planning events revolving around their books, which sometimes includes special guest authors to come into the store. 

“We’re in charge of creating events and decorations. It’s been a great opportunity to meet a bunch of people who share the same interests in books and to meet authors,” Reeves said. 

Mattie Reeve’s versatility gives her the opportunity to pursue more than one extracurricular. Although she loves photography and reading books, film is one of her utmost passions. 

“I love getting the opportunity to tell stories through film. Getting to create them for future generations so they can have the same amazing movies I got to watch growing up,” Reeves said.

“To peek inside her brain was to see creative thought in motion, her ability to bring words and feelings to life on paper made for blissful and provocative reading,” Jolly said. “Her writing awakens feelings and creates understanding that you, the reader, may not have had otherwise.”

Mattie Reeves will be taking her aptitude to University of North Carolina School of the Art (UNCSA) where she will be going to the film school and pursuing producing. 

“For my future career, I hope to create my own film company that can empower and hire more females to help them get into the film industry,” Reeves said. “Women have a harder time getting jobs than men do and I hope to change that.”

As the school year comes to a close and we start saying goodbye to RJR class of 2021, we shall reminisce and be grateful for the extraordinary impact Mattie Reeves has had on the school, her peers, and her teachers.