Rebecca Lackey

Rebecca Lackey - Illinois
Nomination & Photography by B.Marie Photography
Issue 73 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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Nomination: Rebecca has CRPS, which left her unable to walk at 14. She was determined to get back to the sport she loves -cheerleading. She not only relearned to walk, but is out doing flips on the football field. Rebecca is one of the most involved students that I know. She is the high school confidential for our local newspaper, an active FFA member, in National Honors Society, does cheerleading and track, speech team, math team, student council, and is a tutor and peer mentor.
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Photography by B.Marie Photography

​What is CRPS and what do you wish others knew about it?
CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) is a rare nerve syndrome that is a chronic arm or leg pain developing after a traumatic injury to the body. It involves abnormal inflammation or nerve dysfunction. CRPS is characterized by pain that is greater than would be expected from the injury and not even applicable to a doctor’s pain scale. There is no cure for it and I wish others knew how hard it is. Although it’s sometimes invisible looking at someone with it. It’s called ‘The Suicide Disease’ because most patients end up committing suicide from excrutiating pain and the isolation/confinement.

Tell us about your cheer career. When did you get started and where are you at with it now?
Cheer started at age 5 when I got put into my first junior cheer camp and continued with junior cheer camps and pretending I was one. I joined competitive cheer and our youth cheerleading program at age 8. I did allstar cheer with Top Star until I was 13 and decided to fully commit to high school cheer. I cheered all 6 years in our youth program and both years in junior high. I am in my 4th year for football, basketball and competitive cheer for PBL High School. I always dreamed of cheering in college until I got diagnosed.

What is your cheer team like and what is a favorite memory with them?
My cheer team is like a family and it has always been mine. My head coach, Madison Warner, always strives to build a legacy for our program and teach us to be like a family and support each other always. We set goals and always try to reach them, while building each other up. My favorite memory with them was last year at competitive cheer sectionals when we got announced we were going to state for the 3rd year in a row, but without being online or dealing with covid. The joy, excitement and adrenaline that filled us was indescribable.

What does your job entail as the high school confidential for your local newspaper?
My job as high school confidential entails I essentially work for the News-Gazette and help show my schools uniqueness through writing stories as a journalist. I give insight every week to what is something special our school did that week and every Thursday it will be published. I talk to my school’s student body and principal to decide what I should write, then I do my research, take/get the photos and write away.

What has been your most rewarding experience in that role?
My most rewarding experience has been reading all the special things at other schools and discovering all the unique things the 40 schools have to offer.

What leadership opportunities have you had through FFA?
I have had so many leadership opportunities through FFA. Some of the top being; holding the leadership role as President this year and Reporter last year, all the colleges and social networking you acquire and the leadership conferences it allowed me to attend. FFA has so many leadership opportunities I can’t even fit them all in one magazine. FFA is a great way to learn leadership skills, public speaking, parts of a horse and the agriculture industry benefits. Leadership opportunities are also not only ones you’re given, it’s the opportunities you take advantage of in order to develop leadership qualities.

What is your strongest leadership quality?
My strongest leadership quality is my perseverance. Perseverance is persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. Through the low points in my life and the success moments perseverance has to be a factor. Everyone has hard times in their life and I think it’s my strongest quality because I have been through a lot and not only do I have perseverance for my daily life, but for others too. I have obtained these leadership roles in my school and community, so I have to persevere through all tough situations to benefit/help those around me.

Photography by B.Marie Photography

​What service project have you loved participating most in the NHS?
My favorite community service project I have done for National Honors Society is our Down Syndrome Buddy Walk. This is an event where we have students that have down syndrome, other community members with down syndrome, all their families and us students participate in a walk at our high school track. The students from NHS who volunteer help run the games, keep things in order and run whatever else needs help. This is my favorite because of how wholesome it is, everyone is smiling the whole time and happiness is the best, not only for me, but my community too.

What events do you run in track? Which is your favorite and why?
The events I ran in track were sprints, relays and high jump. The reason it is past tense for ‘ran’ is because I am unable to anymore. With my CRPS and other nerve syndrome, CCSS (Complete Central Sensitization Syndrome), it enables me to do events like that anymore. I still love to go and support my friends, but for me I just can’t do it like I could in the past.

What has been your most favorite accomplishment through track?
My most favorite accomplishment through track is actually very sentimental to me. I relearned how to walk after a year in March of 2022. I decided joining track again in the middle of my sophomore year even though I relearned how to walk a month ago was a great idea! So it is my favorite because it was the first activity/sport I was able to come back to after such a life altering injury.

What was your most prominent speech about?
My most prominent speech was an original oratory and it was for those with disabilities who struggle to get proper accessibility and resources they desperately need. I wrote this speech because the original oratory is a 8 minute speech that you write and memorize for something that you are passionate about. I am so heavily passionate about the lack of resources, funding and accessibility for those who have a disability. I wrote the pros and cons of America’s aid to people with disabilities and talked about the improvement that is needed.

What do you do in the math team and why do you love it so much?
What I do on math team is a group contest working together and then an individual contest that makes up a whole group’s score. I love math team because you have the ability to work individually, but also work in groups all trying to achieve one goal. I love the hardness it brings, but the simplicity.

What do you find most rewarding as a tutor and peer mentor?
The most rewarding thing as a tutor and peer mentor is watching the growth happen first hand. I don’t do it for acknowledgement, I do it to help those who need it in order for them to succeed. While I’m tutoring, seeing the lightbulb go off in their head and how proud of themselves they are or when your mentee or the person you tutor runs up to show you something, they have to tell you something they’re proud of, it just warms your heart. I also love the rewardingness of knowing I created a bond with someone so special.

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
Inspiring things about me is that I could not walk and had CRPS, I kept going and I recently got diagnosed with another nerve syndrome at 17 and mentally it is so hard. Through the mental health committee that I created you have to be kind to everyone because you never know what someone is going through. I, myself have gone through mental health struggles and want to help anyone that I can if they don't have anyone else. I think everyone needs to remember being kind and using compassion to others and yourself is the key to self happiness.

Photography by B.Marie Photography

​What else would you like to talk about?
I’d like to talk about how thankful I am to have this opportunity to fill out this form. When my photographer told me she sent it in and then I got accepted I was so filled with enjoyment. I am grateful for everything in my life from having parents that love each other, to my little sister, to having an amazing education and support system, an amazing photographer to help capture my senior memories and this opportunity. Being grateful and not greedy for things in life makes everything more enjoyable and easy to obtain memories that will last a lifetime.

What do you feel passionate about or could talk about forever?
I’m most passionate about mental health. In today's society it’s talked about more than it used to, but not enough. Actions aren’t taken with people who struggle until it’s too late. Medicine, counseling and paper scrubs in a facility might be the easy answer, but isn’t the best answer. I think our world needs more compassion, understanding mindsets and resources to help everyone who struggles even slightly. So many people in our world struggle, but feel they can’t speak up. I want and wish to change this so we can provide a safe and loving environment for mental health struggles.

How did you find your photographer, B.Marie Photography? What was your experience like? What did you love most about it?
I found my photographer through two of my friends who were senior ambassadors for her the year before me. I absolutely loved her immediately and knew she was definitely the right one for me. She made me feel so good in front of the camera. I loved her making you feel comfortable with her camera skills and all her different ideas. She is so good about getting sneak peeks out fast and getting your album and her system is so organized and easy to use. Every session she has everything planned and makes all anxiety about the session immediately disappear.

If you had nothing to do and all day to do it, where would we find you?
You would find me creating core memories with those I love, reading any of my favorite books, spending time with my puppy or working on my devotions hoping to make a change in our world. Having free time to myself is very rare, but when it happens I am normally working on something for anyone, but myself. Whether that be more my clubs, sports or trying to do something special for someone I love, I always stay busy trying to make others feel loved, happy and special to me. Also I always take time to do self care for myself.

What is up next for you that you are super excited about?
The next stage for me is one I have looked forward to my whole life. Going into my chosen career to help others, getting married, starting a family and achieving my ultimate goal in life, happiness. I can not wait for the next stage, just like I can’t wait to wake up in the morning for another chance to seize the day. I love taking in the moment and trying to not think about the future super hard, because tomorrow is never guaranteed. So, I live everyday as it is my last in hopes I leave a meaningful legacy behind.

Thank you so much for answering the above questions specific to you!
Here are some EXTRA QUESTIONS if you have time to answer some extras not included above: (These answers should be one -two sentences as the most as they may or may not be used in the magazine but will be used on the blog. They should be added in with your Q&As above if you decide to add them to the end of your interview.)

What is the hardest thing you have ever accomplished, and how did you do it?
The hardest thing I have ever accomplished is relearning how to walk, after being enabled to for a year. I accomplished this through medicine, hard work, perseverance and determination.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today?
The advice I would give is there are always opportunities you can take advantage of, just sometimes to have to look a little deeper to find the good ones.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years/what are your plans?
In 5 years I see myself stable in my career, settling down ready to start a family and planning to stay in my amazing hometown. I also see myself on some mission trying to find a solution for a problem in our society.

Photography by B.Marie Photography

What is your favorite activity or pastime that was not in your nomination?
My favorite activity or pastime that wasn’t in my nomination is reading. I love reading all sorts of genres and reading is my escape whenever I get too stressed.

Do you have a hidden talent? What is it?
Yes, I do have a hidden talent. My hidden talent is that I can sing.

3 Things on your bucket list
Bring more awareness to mental health
Fight the battle for CRPS
Travel to a third world country with a mission

Who do you find inspiring?
Who I find inspiring is my dad. My dad works so hard to provide for our family and give us three girls in the house anything we could ever wish for.

What about you inspires others/why do you think you are inspiring?
I get told what inspires others is my authenticity and determination. I think these are inspiring because being authentic in our world can go a long way and seeing someone else with strong determination can make you want the same thing.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
I would just like to say thank you! I am so grateful to have even had this opportunity for myself, but most importantly my amazing photographer who just deserves the world!

Look for Rebecca in issue 73 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

click here for more information on issue 73

click here to nominate an inspiring teen