JACH NEWS SERVICE

LAFAYETTE – Chelsea McShurley, a Lafayette Jefferson High School honors graduate who will be attending Indiana University in the fall, is OurTown.com’s Student of the Month for July.

McShurley graduated seventh in her class of 450 students. She traveled to Russia last summer to participate in the National Security Language Initiative for Youth program, funded through the U.S. Department of State and organized by American Council of Teachers of Russian and other organizations.

She will study Russian and International Studies at IU with plans of working as a diplomat in state department in the future.

McShurley won an award for being Jeff’s top foreign language student her senior year, was president of the Russian Club, secretary of the National Honor Society, Academic Bowl captain, involved with the Best Buddies program, and served on the Lafayette Mayor’s Youth Council.

In 2008, McShurley was named a Russian Scholar Laureate by the American Council of Teachers of Russian and was a member of the Indiana Music Educators Association Honors Band her senior year.

She said her parents, Michael and Liz McShurley, where the most influential people in her life because of their support and encouragement. She also praised her Russian teacher at Jeff, Todd Golding, for supporting her learning about the Russian language and culture.