Editor’s Note: Franklin’s Future is a regular feature spotlighting a high school senior in Franklin County and what they have planned for life after graduation.

Mary Kate Beall has been very involved throughout the four years she has attended Russellville High School.

The 17-year-old senior said she enjoys strengthening her leadership skills through clubs and activities and she said she’s gaining good experience in how to work together with others to accomplish goals through her roles as president of Future Business Leaders of America, vice-president of Key Club, a student council representative for the senior class and a member of the Franklin County Junior Leadership program.

In addition to those key leadership roles, Beall is a member of the Spanish Club, Art Club, Environmental Science Club, Mu Alpha Theta and the National Honor Society.

She also recently participated in the Distinguished Young Woman Pageant (formerly known as Junior Miss) where she won the “Be Your Best Self” essay contest and the “Spirit of Distinguished Young Women” award, which is the same as the Miss Congeniality award.

“I like belonging to different organizations because it really gives me a chance to be involved,” Beall said. “I also like getting to see my friends who are also in these organizations on a regular basis.”

When she isn’t participating in extracurricular activities, Beall said some of her favorite high school memories have taken place at Friday night football games where she cheers on the Golden Tigers alongside her friends.

“One of the best memories from football was at the Muscle Shoals game last year,” she said. “It was a great game and it was a lot of fun to win.”

Even though Beall has enjoyed the years she has spent at RHS, she said she is looking forward to what college has to offer.

“I think college will bring more freedom and new experiences,” she said. “It will be exciting to start that chapter of my life.”

After she graduates in May, Beall is planning to attend Samford University in Birmingham.

“Samford just seemed like a good fit for me,” she said. “They offer the major I want to pursue, they have a beautiful campus and it’s just a great atmosphere there.”

The major that Beall is planning to pursue is computers science, which she thinks will offer her many opportunities in the future.

“I’ve always thought I would want to have some type of business degree,” she said. “I’ve taken every computer class you can take at RHS and I just really like to work with computers. The teachers helped me understand them better and figure out that’s where I wanted my focus to be once I got to college.

“I really believe the technology will just keep advancing and there will always be jobs in that field.”

In the future, Beall said she could see herself working as a computer scientist and living in a fairly large city like Birmingham or Nashville.

“I’ve enjoyed growing up in a small town because I like the fact that everyone knows you,” she said, “but later on I’d like to live in a place where you can drive five minutes and be near lots of places to go and things to do.”

When she isn’t busy with school activities or planning for her future, Beall said she enjoys being involved at First United Methodist Church in Russellville, being part of her swim team in Sheffield and spending time with her boyfriend, friends and family.

“My time in high school has really flown by, so if I could give underclassmen any advice, it would be to start planning for your future in the ninth grade and start your resume then,” she said. “People always told me that, but your senior year can be crazy so it’s good to have that kind of stuff already in place.”

Beall is the daughter of Howard and Sarah Beall. She has two older brothers – Robert, who is in the U.S. Navy and is stationed in Washington state; and Brian who lives and works in Washington, D.C.