student spotlight

Madison Keaton might be the queen of overcoming obstacles.

In 2017, Madison and her family moved from California to Pickerington. The transition was difficult for the thenyoung student who is on the autism spectrum. However, she was able to find solace in basketball.

She started playing at age 5 and has loved the game ever since. Madison doesn’t love it just for the athleticism, she also enjoys the camaraderie. Her favorite part? It’s a tough call.

“Just playing in front of people, having teammates, being able to score the ball and the atmosphere when I play,” Keaton says.

Even though things on the court are a slam dunk, the new move hasn’t been all fun and games. Madison struggled with bullying at her new school, particularly after one difficult incident.

“I didn’t show up to school for three days,” she says. “Everything that (the bullies) said, I know isn’t true. Even if it was true, if they were making fun of how I talk, it’s fine because I’m cool with how I talk.”

The support of Madison’s friends and her mother, Ruth, helped, along with her positive attitude.

“Just know that you’re a bigger person than them, and you’re gonna get through it,” Madison says.

As if she hadn’t already faced enough, the pandemic hit. Students across the nation were told to stay home, not just from school, but from hanging out with friends and, yes, playing the team sports they loved. Madison, never to be discouraged, occupied herself by making TikTok videos, connecting with friends via social media and by trying new hobbies like painting.

“It’s funny because when we had school I didn’t want to go, but now that I can’t go, I want to,” she says.

Now that businesses have begun to reopen, Madison looks forward to the Amateur Athletic Association basketball season and hopes to eventually catch the attention of college scouts.

“I would like to play basketball in college,” she says, “and I’d like to work in physical therapy.”

For kids who also have to make big moves in their lives, Madison advises them to stay positive, just like she did.

“It’s gonna be hard at first, you’re gonna have to make new friends,” she says. “But everything’s going to be put in place, everything’s going to be fine.”

During the quarantine, Pickerington resident Samantha Babcock started a Facebook group encouraging people to “adopt a student” from the 2020 Pickerington high school classes. The initiative took off, and by late April hundreds of students from Pickerington North and Pickerington Central high schools were “adopted.”

Parents could post pictures of their graduating children for others to adopt. Parents could also adopt as many students as they wanted. The adopted graduating seniors were showered with care packages and kind words from their sponsor.

The wave of generosity continued, and Sherri Davis from Kent Smith Photography offered to provide senior photos to students who didn’t get the opportunity. Within a few days, Davis had already booked a few dozen students.

Theresa Byers, president and CEO of the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce, sent a heartwarming email in late April bringing light to these two acts, noting how her son was “adopted.”

“I know we are all ready to find our new normal in the world,” she wrote. “I sit here today humbled by the generosity of our community and am proud to be a small part of it.”