by Kelly Farrell
The Paducah Sun
September 28, 2020
Used with permission.
Raven Butler finds chemistry to be the “best of both worlds,” as it features both science and math. It’s a field she’s dreaming about for her career one day.
“I think science is pretty cool, like, how the world works and everything, but math was always my big thing — not really science,” she said. “But chemistry, you have the science and you have applied math and that was just the best of both worlds for me.”
The 17-year-old Paducah Tilghman High School senior credits the “best teacher in the world,” Shelley McGregor, who taught her honors and AP chemistry, for sparking her interest in the subject. She’s planning to major in it for undergraduate study, and potentially double major with another subject.
“I think being a forensic chemist, like with the FBI, that’s like my ideal, dream job,” she said. “But I also am really interested in teaching, so I’m not sure how I’m going to make that decision yet.”
Butler, daughter of Lori and Danny Butler of Paducah, is the Paducah Bank Teen of the Week.
Each Monday and Tuesday, The Sun publishes profile stories on area high school seniors chosen from a group of nominees for Teen of the Week recognition. Around the end of the school year, a committee names one of these students as Teen of the Year, which carries a $5,000 scholarship. Another student will receive an Inspiration Award and a $1,000 scholarship.