Natchez — Juggling school and leadership positions can be difficult even for college students, but one Trinity Episcopal Day School 12-year-old has struck a balance.

Mackenzie Bertrand has a wide variety of interests, including playing on the basketball team and being involved in gymnastics. At the same time, the seventh-grader has also managed to keep up with her schoolwork.

Bertrand’s social studies and character building teacher Millie Burke said Bertrand is kind and makes good grades. Bertrand said she has always been on the headmaster’s list, which requires a student to have an average of 93 or above.

“She’s the ideal student for a teacher,” Burke said. “She goes over and above for everything she does, and she does a lot.”

In addition to keeping up her grades, Bertrand is also working on her second year as a member of the Middle School Student Council.

“I wanted to come back because I wanted to say my ideas of how we can make the middle school better,” Bertrand said.

As a member of the student council, Bertrand said she attends meetings and gives ideas about things the middle school needs or ways to improve it. But, around this time of year, it also includes some spooky duties, such as planning the Oct. 24 Halloween dance.

Bertrand is part of the 3-person dance committee, which works on a budget to plan dances. It also has to submit its plans to the rest of the council.

“If we want something we have to make a proposal for it,” Bertrand said.

It includes a lot of teamwork, but that’s not something Bertrand minds.

“I love working as a team, especially on the cheer team,” Bertrand said.

This year, in addition to her other activities, Bertrand also took on the role of co-captain of Trinity’s middle school cheer team. As co-captain, she helps lead a team of 13.

“I try to be the best leader that I can be and the best leader my parents have taught me to be, because my parents have always told me you’ve got to work for what you want,” Bertrand said.

One of Bertrand’s responsibilities on the team is making up dances, something she enjoys since she had to give up dance last year to continue with basketball.

“I was pretty sad because my mom was a big dancer,” Bertrand said.

But Bertrand said cheerleading still gives her a chance to dance, and she feels things balanced out since she enjoys basketball more.

Besides, Bertrand said she’s too busy now to think about it.

“I try to use my time wisely, and I have faith in God I can get through it,” Bertrand said.

Bertrand is the daughter of Robin and Tracy Bertrand.