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Recent high school graduate Taylor Wells looks to the future with anticipation, guided by her faith in Christ and a commitment to compassion and service.
At just 18, Wells has given much of her time to serving children. She regularly volunteers as a Vacation Bible School leader at her church, Shady Grove Missionary Baptist, for ages four through kindergarten, and has served for several years as a staffer at the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) Kids’ University, providing summer enrichment for students entering first through sixth grades.
Wells says these experiences have helped shape both her faith and her future plans.
“It’s really made me realize the passion I have for working with kids and made me want to be a teacher,” she said. In the fall, she plans to attend UAM to major in K-6 Elementary Education.
In addition to her work with children, she performs in the youth praise band at Shady Grove and has played a role in the church’s bi-annual drama production for several years.
“I just really have a passion for acting, and this way I get to share the gospel and act,” she shared.
Wells was recently involved in SEARK Concert Association’s production of Grease as a “pink lady in training.”
Her love for performance is also evident in other areas of her life. She has been a member of Monticello Dance Academy for 16 years and is an avid barrel racer, having competed at the national level and gained recognition as an American Quarter Horse Association world qualifier.
Beyond the stage and arena, Wells is an active volunteer with Operation Christmas Child, a cause she hopes to remain involved in during college. Her church serves as a local shoebox drop-off location, giving Wells a firsthand glimpse into the mission and an opportunity to make a difference for children worldwide.
“I’ve loved doing it so much,” she said.
She looks forward to volunteering again this year at the regional shoebox processing center in Dallas, where she will prepare packages for international shipment. Through this opportunity, Wells has gained valuable experience and made meaningful connections.
“I actually got to meet a shoebox recipient that works there now, which was really cool,” she said.
When asked about schooling, Wells shared that she had been homeschooled since the COVID-19 pandemic, which began during her seventh-grade year. She said that although homeschooling often gets “a bad rap,” for her, the choice had a positive, lasting impact.
“I love it, and I feel like it taught me to be more independent and hold myself accountable.”
Homeschooling also gave Wells more time to be involved in missions.
“If I hadn’t been homeschooling, I would never have been able to get involved with Operation Christmas Child like I did,” she said.
Wells graduated with a perfect GPA and honors recognition, accomplishments she said would not have been possible without family support, notably from her mother, father, and grandmother.
“My family has definitely supported me, just always been there for me and helped make me who I am today,” she shared.
Through it all, she stays rooted in her faith and aims to show that faith in everything she does.
“I pretty much live by the motto that you might be the only Jesus that somebody else sees,” she said.
Inspired by her faith, she and her mother opened a small business designing faith-based clothing, even before Wells began her final year of high school.
Every shirt sold through their business, Clover & Thistle, features a design created by Wells herself, who often draws inspiration from songs and Bible verses.
“It’s a way to, one, show Jesus, and a really good way to start a gospel conversation with somebody,” she said.
Wells noted one of her recent shirts, which bears just one word: “whosoever,” a reference to John 3:16.
“People may be like, ’Whosoever, what does that mean?’ and then that’s your opening to share the gospel with them,” she explained.
Currently, Clover & Thistle products are sold at marketplaces in Russellville and Little Rock, and the mother-daughter pair hope to open a booth in Monticello’s Marketplace II when space becomes available.
Despite her many successes, Wells wants others to see her not for what she has done but for the love she embodies.
“My love for Jesus really does define who I am and is prevalent in every aspect of my life. I just want everybody to be able to see Jesus through me and make an impact for him,” she said.
Overall, through her faith, service, entrepreneurial efforts, and love for others, Wells reflects the best of her generation and will certainly make an impact wherever life takes her next.
