For Trigg County’s Avery Ethridge, soccer, fishing, a strong work ethic, and a passion to serve her country are woven through the fabric of her close-knit family. Nights spent at the ball field watching her two older siblings, days on the water with her father, brother, and grandfather, and a drive to succeed and protect her community and country have galvanized to form an extremely well-rounded and impressive person poised to reach great heights in the next phase of her life.
As far back as she can remember, Avery admired her maternal grandfather, a proud member of the United States Navy who served in Vietnam. She says his example led her to grow up deeply patriotic and “always wanting to help others and use what God has blessed me with to benefit those around me.” As a result, in addition to attending the University of Kentucky in the Fall, Avery enlisted with the National Guard and plans to serve until retirement.
Named Most Outstanding Female Senior and Miss Wildcat of the Year at Trigg County High School, she was also awarded the Rondal Regan Leadership Medal. Avery finished in the top 10 of her class of 129 and earned KHSAA 1st Team Academic Award honors in fishing and soccer for all four years.
Just as her grandparents sparked a future career in the armed forces, quality time spent in the boat as a child culminated in state qualification in bass fishing in 2022 and 2024 and a statewide 4th-place finish as a senior.
Avery also excelled on dry land, helping the Lady Wildcats’ soccer team to three 8th-District titles and a pair of 2nd-Region semifinal appearances. In her junior season, the team surged to a 16-3 record and the program’s first-ever regional runner-up finish. She says, “Playing sports throughout my school years has allowed me to create bonds with teammates and coaches that will last a lifetime. I wouldn’t trade the late nights and bad games for anything in this world.”
Despite the time she dedicated to soccer and bass fishing, Avery still found space for a full roster of clubs and organizations. She served as president of the Technology Student Association, the National Honor Society, and the Society of Women Engineers, and was the secretary of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Avery was a state qualifier in DECA as a junior and senior as well as an Academic Team regional qualifier for math in 2022 and 2024. In addition to the Gifted and Talented program, she was involved in 4H Club, Interact, BETA, and Next Generation Youth Leadership, while joining her classmates in the stands to cheer on the Wildcats as part of The Black Hole spirit group.
However, her endeavors aren’t limited to the halls and athletic fields of Trigg County High School. While working at Harper House for the last two and a half years and currently employed as a pharmacy technician at Cadiz Pharmacy, Avery served as a preschool Sunday school and vacation bible school teacher at Cadiz Methodist Church. She also helped mold the next generation of Wildcat and Lady Wildcat soccer players as a coach with the Christian Youth League. Eager to help at home and abroad, she chipped in with trash clean up in Cadiz, passed out candy downtown for Halloween Safe Night, and helped pack shoe boxes to be sent to the needy worldwide.
Avery will be in Lexington in August to begin work toward a degree in chemical engineering and eventually a PhD. She pictures a job in the pharmaceutical industry creating lifesaving drugs and vaccines or making her living behind the counter as a pharmacist.
Regardless of where her life leads, Avery can always draw on lessons learned from her siblings and knows she’ll have their friendship to fall back on. Despite now being separated as they each follow their own path, she says they were, “the first people who showed me true friendship, and that will never end. I thank them for where I am today and for always supporting me.”
