Plezetta West’s list of extracurricular activities seems endless. The 16-year-old junior at Natchez High School is in Beta Club, is vice president of her class, is on the Mayor’s Youth Council, is a member of Key Club, Future Educators of America, National Honors Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, Junior Choir, 4-H Club, and is second chair alto saxophone in the Natchez High School Band.

West also maintains a 4.3 grade point average in the weighted gradingsystem.

The extra 0.3 is due to her excellence in an accelerated curriculum at the high school.

&uot;I try to keep good grades,&uot; West said &uot;I want to be valedictorian or salutatorian of my class.&uot;

The daughter of Josie Gilchrist Camper and Plez West Sr., West has two sisters and six brothers.

&uot;My mom got me involved in 4-H at an early age. I started talking in front of audiences at nine,&uot; West said.

Even now, West is still making oral presentations in front of large crowds, though she admits she isn’t necessarily an outgoing person.

&uot;I don’t go up to people and say, ‘Hi, I’m Plezetta West, who are you?’&uot;

The next big social event on her calendar will be the Junior-Senior Prom May 6.

West is, of course, chairman of the prom committee.

Last weekend, she was mistress of ceremonies at the MLK Day Youth Rally on Saturday and Youth Luncheon on Monday.

In late February, West will deliver a memorized oration at the state Beta Club convention.

Last year, West authored and delivered a presentation titled &uot;Can’t We All Just Get Along&uot; and came in seventh out of a field of 40.

Most of her life, West said she has wanted to be a pediatrician. Now that she’s taken psychology courses, she is intrigued with the idea of child psychology.

Whichever she chooses, she is likely to study it at Xavier University of Louisiana in&160;New Orleans.

&uot;I prefer to go no further than Texas or Georgia for college,&uot; she said, opting to stay within an eight hour drive from home.