She was a very happy child, always content in anything she did. She made friends easily and enchanted strangers everywhere she went. In her elementary school years, she excelled to the point of being invited and accepted into the local SAIL program - a program for gifted children at her school. Before entering middle school, Melinda auditioned and got accepted into The Charleston County School of
the Arts with Band as her major there. She picked the French Horn as her instrument and immediately excelled in it. In 6th grade, she was the only 6th grader to make it into Festival Band (the higher band in middle school). She was awarded Best Brass in Class all three years in Middle School. Melinda also auditioned and made All County band a couple of times during middle school. Going into High School, Melinda auditioned and made 2nd chair in her high school band (out of her, 1 sophomore and 2 seniors). She made High School Concert Band (higher band) and was the only freshman in Orchestra - both considered honors classes. It was clear that Melinda loved music. She had even already picked out her senior quote - "Music is a world within itself with a language we all understand" - Stevie Wonder
Outside of school, Melinda enjoyed many things. She loved doing both photography and crafts with her mother - was interested in cooking - loved animals of all kinds and also loved writing and excelled at it. Melinda was also a very loving and dotting big sister. Melinda has such a big heart and was pained if she found out a friend was hurting in some way - always ready with an ear, comfort or any help she felt she could give. Growing up with laughter in the household, Melinda's humor and wit was her constant compainion, but would also surprise her parents with the depth and maturity of her humor at times. Over the course of Melinda's lifetime, along with all the good things, she experienced many traumatic circumstances in her life. She became depressed in her pre teen years - began using unsafe coping skills and ultimately committed su***de in October of 2008.
