Fall Creek Junior High eighth-grader Gabby Jefferson is earning national recognition both inside and outside the classroom. Jefferson is the reigning America’s Ideal Miss Jr. Teen, a title that will take her to New York Fashion Week this year and to Paris, France, in 2026.

Her pageant achievements also include the 2025 Ideal Miss Service Award, the Gold IDEAL Service Award, and multiple Best Interview honors.

Beyond the stage, Jefferson has built an impressive record of community service. Over the past three years, she has logged more than 500 volunteer hours, collected more than 5,000 books for local schools, donated 500 holiday gifts to families at Coburn Place, raised and contributed more than $10,000 to Gleaners Food Bank, and organized 12,000 back-to-school items for students in need.

Within Hamilton Southeastern Schools, Jefferson is active in academics and extracurriculars. She is a member of the National Junior Honor Society, has served as a student representative for Envision Day and “We the People,” and performs with both the Fall Creek Junior High Symphonic Band and the HSE High School Marching Band.

School officials described Jefferson as an outstanding student whose leadership, service, and achievements exemplify the values of Hamilton Southeastern Schools.  She was honored at Wednesday night’s school board meeting.

In other items before the board:

–Lindsey Rondeau was named HSE HS Girls Freshman Basketball Coach.

–The board approved the purchase and installation of 2 new chillers, the cooling tower and pump at Fall Creek Junior High School.