Most high school seniors know the spotlight well—whether it's shining on academic achievements, athletic victories, or artistic performances. But for Anna-Jonesboro Community High School senior Jaylen Althoff, the magic happens just beyond that bright beam, in the shadows where soundboards hum and lighting rigs hang like mechanical constellations.

Jaylen's theater journey began not with dreams of center stage, but with childhood afternoons spent listening to musical soundtracks. "I found that in fourth grade," she recalls, "and it was my favorite thing to listen to throughout middle school." When she arrived at A-J High School as a freshman, she was eager to be part of a show—any show. That first year, she helped with props and assisted backstage during The Wizard of Oz, not knowing she was taking the first steps toward becoming one of the region's most accomplished young theater technicians.

The summer after freshman year changed everything. Invited to work sound and lights for "A Long Hot September" at the Shawnee Hills Art Council, Jaylen discovered her true calling. "That was my first introduction to doing sound and lights," she says. "It was incredibly fun." What began as summer volunteer work quickly evolved into a passion that would define her high school experience and shape her future plans.

By her junior year, Jaylen had become a student stage manager for A-J's productions, overseeing crews and coordinating backstage operations with the guidance of recently retired art teacher Tina Vancil. At the Art Council, she progressed from technical assistant to director, taking on Stephen Sondheim's complex Into the Woods as her directorial debut last November. "I did not realize going into that just how complicated Sondheim could be," she laughs, remembering the overwhelming workload that eventually became manageable through determination and skill.

What sets Jaylen apart isn't just her technical expertise—it's her commitment to community service through the arts. As the youngest board member ever invited to join the Shawnee Hills Art Council, she's worked tirelessly to bridge the gap between the organization and local schools. "I want to leave the Shawnee Hills Art Council better than I found it," she explains, "because it has offered me so many opportunities."

Her efforts have been transformative. She's brought other high school students onto the board, ensuring younger voices continue to have representation. She directed a drama camp this summer for twenty children ranging from age five to eighteen, introducing a new generation to theater arts. Most importantly, she's helped maintain the organization's commitment to accessibility, ensuring that financial barriers don't prevent anyone from participating in productions.

"We don't charge fees to be in a show," Jaylen emphasizes. "I don't want people to be kept out of theater and out of the arts just because they can't afford it."

Academically, Jaylen maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA while juggling her theater commitments, student council responsibilities as social media manager, National Honor Society vice presidency, and color guard participation. She'll graduate this spring with both her high school diploma and an associate of science degree through dual enrollment at Shawnee Community College.

Her post-graduation plans reflect the same thoughtful balance that characterizes her high school career. Planning to major in mechanical engineering, she's chosen a field that will provide career stability while keeping doors open to professional theater work. "Going into mechanical engineering would give me the option to focus on a purely engineering field, or possibly build on that to go into theater tech for my future, as it is my biggest passion."

Looking ahead to her 40-year-old self, Jaylen envisions a life where she's "still near the stage, getting to enjoy that as a passion and having my job be something that I love." Whether as a director, stage manager, or engineering professional who moonlights in theater, she's determined to remain connected to the art form that has shaped her character and community spirit.