As the 2026 school year ends, senior Abigael Ellis finishes her last edits for the Paths of Clover Literary Magazine. After three years of being the editor-in-chief and four years on the team, Ellis begins to share her goodbyes and her plans for the after school life.

Ellis is a known figure at Clover Hill High School with her many accomplishments that range between many different subjects and skills.

Ellis has served part in many school activities such as being Editor-in-Chief of the Paths of Clover Literary Magazine, president of Writers Guild, vice president of ASL club, a member of National Honors Society, New Dimensions Mixed Show Choir, Film Club, Biology Club, Stand Band, Beta Club, Science National Honors Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and Spanish National Honor Society.

Ellis plans to attend the University of Vermont to major in molecular genetics and minor in creative writing. She is very excited to live in a non-urban, liberal community.

“I am going to the University of Vermont to major in molecular biology and minor in creative writing,” Ellis said. “I’m excited for all the snow! Plus, it’s a liberal area that isn’t as urban as many other liberal communities, so it feels small but also safe.”

Ellis wants to be able to continue to expand her creativity and just enjoy the smaller things in life. Ellis aspires to become a geneticist or a magazine editor.

“I want to continue with creativity and enjoying little things. Job wise, I would like to be a geneticist or a magazine editor,” Ellis said. “Mostly, I want to continue to write and make good friends. I also want to grow plants everywhere and finally have an actual garden, but those are smaller things.”

Throughout Ellis’ four years at Clover Hill, she was beyond passionate about the school’s literary magazine. She hopes to be included in a literary magazine in college, and continue using her editing abilities throughout her college years.

With her time editing for the literary magazine, she has played very significant and important roles. During her freshman year, she was managing editor and for the last three years she has been Editor-in-Chief.

“Out of everything I’ve done in high school, I am most attached to the lit mag. It’s taught me a bunch about myself and navigating through google sheets. I’m endlessly grateful to have been a part of it. Hopefully, I’ll be part of a lit mag in college, but I will never forget Paths of Clover,” Ellis said.

Within Clover Hill High School and the state as a whole, there are many opportunities for students to get recognized for the things they do. One of those is called Virginia High School League, which is a state wide program to honor students who are talented in many different areas across the state of Virginia ranging from writing to sports, and even academics.

Ellis won in the creative writing category with her non-fiction essay that she called “Raglan Sleeves.” She was in disbelief and so happy that she wrote about something she cared for deeply. Her perspective was seen, heard, and led her to victory.

“The feeling in the essay is very real and something I had been wanting to write about for a long time,” Ellis said. “Winning felt like validation, like the issues I wrote about were important to others or that my view on them had a role in making these issues seen.”

With such a great accomplishment, Ellis has also made some wonderful memories throughout her years at Clover Hill that she will never forget. She has made many wholesome memories that range from humorous moments with friends, to seeing interesting things in some of her classes for the very first time.

“The one spring day junior year when my friends and I decided it would be a grand idea to experiment with lunch boxes and velocity in the parking lot,” Ellis said.“I also remember the first time I saw live cells under a light microscope in Mrs. Johnson’s 9th grade biology class,” Ellis said.

As the time comes closer for graduation, Ellis leaves some advice for underclassmen, and her mentality that kept her going throughout high school.

“My mentality has mostly just been to keep going. The Math-Sci Specialty Center can be a lot sometimes,” Ellis said. “My advice to underclassmen would be to find somewhere you feel truly comfortable. If your current group of people doesn’t fill you to the brim with joy, find another one.”

Ellis was and is an extraordinary student here at Clover Hill High School. As she crosses the stage at graduation her legacy will live on forever in the literary magazine, Writers Guild, and in her countless accomplishments.