January 29, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Sweet Home Alabama

Eve Owens knew she wanted to go South.


So when she was trying to decide where to go to college she visited a lot of SEC schools.


But she found her future home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.


“In the end, Alabama was the best school for me,” she said. “The first time I visited the campus I felt I fit in with the people there and the campus was so beautiful.”


Owens, St. Joseph-Ogden High School’s co-valedictorian, is carrying on a family tradition because her older sister, Olivia, also attends the University of Alabama. It was Olivia who called Eve to tell her to check her email to see if she had been accepted to Alabama.


“When I saw that I had, I told my family and we were all super excited,” Eve said.


Eve said her parents, Melissa and Don, were extremely happy because they love the school and the fact that both girls will be attending the same school.


Eve plans on majoring in psychology on the Dental track and hopes to one day own a dental practice in North Carolina.


While she has big plans for her future, Eve said she will take numerous memories and lessons from St. Joseph-Ogden with her into adulthood.


Eve said SJO taught her to try new things.


“Don’t miss out because you don’t want to have any regrets,” she said.


Eve said that while she is looking forward to her graduation trip to Germany and starting school at Alabama in the fall, she will miss the town she grew up in.


“I’ll miss all of my friends and all of the people in my class because I grew up with them,” she said.

in Life
Banner
Related Posts

10 things you don’t know about me… Beth Mills

April 10, 2019

April 10, 2019

Beth Mills, the owner of Travel by Beth in St. Joseph shared 10 interesting facts about herself with us! This...

‘I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it’

December 28, 2022

December 28, 2022

Girl Scout Emily Elsbernd knew what she wanted to learn while working on her Gold Award. “I knew all along...

‘We lost a very good man in Jim Cotter’

September 2, 2021

September 2, 2021

Jim Cotter loved to brag about his kids. This past Saturday was no exception. Cotter took time out from covering...

10 things you don’t know about me… Kathy McCormick

May 13, 2021

May 13, 2021

What is your favorite childhood memory? Playing outside with the neighborhood kids – every summer day until dark. What was...

Heritage marching band modifies season

July 15, 2020

July 15, 2020

The Heritage Performing Arts department announced that their marching band season has been canceled. Band Director Justin Lee said that...

SJO could return to full in-person instruction

March 3, 2021

March 3, 2021

St. Joseph-Ogden High School is starting to plan for the future. Superintendent Brian Brooks said the school is looking into...

Going the Distance: Smetzer excels at Western

October 17, 2019

October 17, 2019

Ross Smetzer has goals. The 2016 St. Joseph-Ogden High School graduate runs cross country and track for Western Illinois University...

‘Julie has been the backbone of this village for a long time’

December 28, 2021

December 28, 2021

Julie Hendrickson loves St. Joseph. And a piece of the small town’s footprint will soon step away from a long-time...

Get to know senior SJO Marching Band member Jo Schmitz

October 21, 2022

October 21, 2022

My favorite thing about marching band is the community. I made my best friends through the program. My favorite memory...

Remembering B.J. Hackler: ‘He made people smile’

September 10, 2021

September 10, 2021

B.J. Hackler liked to stay busy. He belonged to the St. Joseph Tea-Totalers, a group of residents who meet in...

We the People holding one final fundraiser

April 2, 2019

April 2, 2019

There is one final chance to help the St. Joseph-Ogden We the People Civics Team fund their trip to Nationals...

White Christmas on tap for area

December 23, 2022

December 23, 2022

This Christmas could be special weather-wise. Steve Hilberg, the Retired, Director of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center, said this won’t...

10 things you don’t know about me … Matt Walsh

September 30, 2022

September 30, 2022

Matt Walsh with Engaging Entertainment is will be DJing at the Wagner Signs and Graphics Anniversary Celebration. We asked Matt...

What are some good ways to deal with stress?

November 10, 2021

November 10, 2021

By Jeanelle Murphy, DO Stress is part of life and the human body has a built in system to deal...

‘We can’t wait to be back’

April 8, 2020

April 8, 2020

Amy Gibbons, the owner of Salon 192, is urging people not to do anything rash. That means resisting the urge...

Comments
Leave a Reply