Behind all the school club memberships, the honor rolls and the scholarships, it’s all about people for Natchez High School senior Plezetta West.

&uot;I’m a people person,&uot; West said. &uot;I’ve always wanted to work with people.&uot;

And being a people person translates into being a model citizen, according to members of the William Dunbar and Natchez chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution who recently named West their 2001 Good Citizen from Natchez High.

West said she believes the values associated with good citizenship remain somewhat unchanged from the days of the American Revolution.

&uot;A lot of the ideals that were present in the 1700s are still around today,&uot; she said. &uot;The ideals are still the same, but the methods are much more advanced.&uot;

For example, West said freedom is still at the top of the list of American ideals, right along with the right to make one’s voice heard.

In fact, West traces many of her activities both at Natchez High and in the community to that idea that you’re never too young to make a difference.

&uot;They’re all chances to voice the opinion of my peers and see that things are done that we want done,&uot; she said.

West wants to make a career of helping other people as a pediatrician or a child psychologist. She has been accepted to Xavier University in New Orleans on a full-tuition scholarship.

But fall isn’t soon enough for West. This summer, she will attend the Howard Hughes Biomedical Summer Program, also on scholarship. For five weeks West will immerse herself in chemistry and biology courses.

One day West hopes to open her own clinic, where both the physical and emotional needs of children can be met.

West is also a semi-finalist for national scholarships from Coca-Cola, Toyota and the Beta Club. She scored a 30 on the ACT and maintains a 4.3 grade point average while holding a part-time job.

She is the daughter of Josie Gilchrist Camper and Plez West, both of Natchez.3