Jillian MacKillop

Jillian MacKillop, a senior at Mountain View High School, is Gabrielle Giffords’ September Supporter of the Month. She became involved in the campaign this year through a government class project. Since then, Jillian has spent hours sealing envelopes and making phone calls.

“I like doing things for the community,” she said, explaining that she particularly enjoys the Cactus Roots Connectors activities. At the October activity, she assembled book bags for families across Southern Arizona.

At 17, Jillian is excited about voting for the first time in the 2008 election. As a high school student, she is especially concerned about education and affordable health care for children. Gabrielle’s strong stances on these issues motivated Jillian to volunteer on the campaign.

Jillian’s parents instilled in her an early interest in politics, but she’s worried about the low levels of civic participation by young people. “I don’t think enough teenagers get involved in their communities or in politics,” Jillian noted. Commenting that she views Gabrielle as a role model for girls her age, she said, “It’s inspiring that a young woman can be a member of Congress.”

Jillian is involved in a number of activities outside of the campaign. At school she is a member of Key Club, DECA, and Ignite, a program that works to reduce the dropout rate. She will enroll at the University of Arizona next year, and she plans to pursue a master’s degree or PhD in statistics. Her goal is to become a risk analyst for an insurance company.