Bailey Keene is a current senior at CCS and is finishing her final year on campus. Keene was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. Growing up, she loved spending time outside, vacations at the beach, playing recreational soccer and learning about animals. Keene adores her family and cherishes the time spent with them. Her parents, John and Angie Keene, attended Virginia Tech University and moved to Charlotte to start their family. She has one sister, Jessica, who is a current sophomore at CCS. Keene also has a Maltese puppy named Max! 

Keene has been at CCS for seven years. Her family decided to look into private school during her middle school years. The family had heard astounding things about Carmel from other families, and decided to look into applying. After a campus visit and a day of shadowing at the school, Keene decided that it was the perfect fit.  

Throughout her time on campus, Keene has had numerous opportunities to experience trips and be a part of multiple extracurricular activities. When asked what her favorite memories have been she shares, “I have always loved trips to Windy Gap each year, and I love being able to be with my friends outside of the classroom.” Keene comments how she always enjoyed the high energy that basketball games brought to the student body. Keene have traveled for numerous J-term experiences ranging from: Chattanooga, Costa Rica and Peru.  

Keene’s hobbies include a wide variety of outgoing activities to match her personality! She loves playing all types of sports, both recreational and competitive. She enjoys spending time in nature by hiking, running and vacationing on the beach. She has played volleyball for seven years. Not only has she served as Libero/defensive specialist for the CCS middle school, junior varsity and varsity teams, but Keene has also played club volleyball for Carolina Union Volleyball Club for five years. After taking Photography I & II, Keene took an interest in photography. After completing the prerequisites, she is currently working on her portfolio for AP Photography. Her portfolio consists of images capturing the theme of “how surroundings can convey emotion”. She shares, “I love taking pictures of my friends, nature and anything that catches my eye.” 

Throughout her four years on campus, Keene has been involved in numerous clubs and extracurricular activities. Inductions into the National Honor Society, Beta Club and Spanish Honor Society are the prestigious recognitions she has received. She is also an active member of the Health Occupations Students of America club. She enjoys the activities and insight regarding her future career plans. 

When asked what she will miss most about CCS, she shares, “having a tight-knit community.” She also will miss seeing her friends every day, the teachers and the fun events high school had to offer. Two specific teachers who have made an impact on Keene’s life beyond the classroom are Meredith Mente and Melissa Solomon. Keene shares that they both have challenged her understanding of materials and made the class a fun environment. 

Keene plans to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia in the fall. She will be majoring in Exercise Science in hopes of becoming a Pediatric Physical Therapist specializing in sports medicine. She knew she always wanted to stay in the realm of athletics because of her love for sports. She began researching and found the field to be super interesting. “A job working with people all day is the ideal job for me,” states Keene. 

Solomon has had the privilege of having Keene in her class for two years. She describes Keene by stating, “Bailey always has a smile on her face. On the Chattanooga trip in 2022, it didn’t matter the labor we were doing, she made the most of it. She does everything with a joyful heart.” Alongside Solomon, Bailey has made numerous friendships with individuals that have grown her as a person. Senior Charlotte Russell shares, “Bailey is a ray of sunshine. She always knows how to have a good time and is always up for an adventure. She is so spontaneous and makes life more fun! I am so excited to have more adventures with her as my roommate next year!”

Bailey Keene’s time on CCS campus may have been shorter than some, but she has made an impression and impact that will reach far beyond her graduation ceremony at the end of May!