Sikeston senior awarded for talent

SIKESTON -- A Sikeston High School senior will be honored for her musical talent today at the University of Missouri in St. Louis.

Elizabeth Heeb, 17, daughter of Scott and Julie Heeb of Sikeston, is the recipient of the "Creative Achievement in the Arts" award from UMSL.

The Dean's Award for Creative Achievement in the Arts from the College of Fine Arts and Communication at UMSL is given to high school juniors-turned-

seniors who are actively involved in the creative arts and display outstanding talent, leadership and responsibility in their high school arts programs.

Heeb is one of 66 students across the state to receive the award; the next closest recipient is Jonathan Young of Jackson.

"Elizabeth is a very hard worker," said Gay French, orchestra director/music department chair of Sikeston R-6. "She's already started this year on her piano solo, violin solo and violin duet -- and those competitions aren't until March. The things they're playing take a lot of work."

Nominated for the honor by French, Heeb admits she didn't know what her instructor was up to at the end of her junior year last May.

"She told me to get together all of my activities that had to do with music," Heeb said.

French then sent a letter of recommendation and a list of Heeb's achievements in academic areas and the fine arts to UMSL's College of Fine Arts and Communication.

Among Heeb's accomplishments include being principal chair for the orchestra ever since sixth grade; sitting as first chair of the Junior Music Festival, a group affiliated with national music clubs, for seven years; making all-district orchestra ever since junior high; and participating in the district music contest every year as a soloist or duet partner.

"These are all things above and beyond the classroom. It's not something you can do in class," French said.

Judy Henry, R-6 choir director, also had nothing but positive words to say about the active music student who's also in the choir and accompanies the choir.

"She's a super person as well as being musically talent," Henry said. Heeb, who is also a member of the Southeast Missouri State University Symphony Orchestra, has been playing the piano for 10 years and violin for six years.

"I've worked really hard," Heeb said. "I probably spend at least an hour every day practicing."

As an awardee, Heeb will receive a framed certificate and two tickets to a performance of her choice at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center on the UMSL campus.

Following graduation from Sikeston High School, Heeb plans to attend the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she will major in chemistry and go on to graduate school to become a physician.

"I've been around medicine all my life," Heeb said about her decision to become a doctor.

Heeb's grandfather is a doctor; her father is a physical therapist, and her mother is a nurse.

"I'm thinking about specializing in either neonatology or obstetrics gynecology. I'd like to work with babies," Heeb said.

Also, in July Heeb attended mini-med school through the University of Missouri Medical School at Columbia.

"Even though I'm not planning on majoring in music, hopefully, I'll play my violin in the orchestra and symphony at Mizzou," Heeb said.

No matter where she goes in life, Heeb will just keep on working hard -- a method that seems to be working for her.

She said: "I've tried as hard as I can -- and that's gotten me pretty far," Heeb said.

Heeb is the granddaughter of Dr. Max and Marianna Heeb of Sikeston and Lois Emerine of Benton. She's also the sister of 12-year-old Nicholas Heeb.