Hood River Valley High is a school that is able to fit the needs of a widely diverse group of students. Every student has a unique way of getting around school, while also participating in extracurricular activities that add to the person that they are becoming. Claire Powell is definitely classified as one of the diverse students who is not only making her way around school, but also adding to her personality with a long list of extracurricular activities.

Claire is succeeding at her own goals every day, in ways that manage to leave us all in awe. Claire is enrolled in Honors Sophomore English and PreCalculus. One semester of Precalculus gets a Claire five college credits per semester, and she manages to keep a 4.0 GPA. With extracurricular activities like soccer, swim team, skiing, robotics, volunteering practicing her motorcycle skills and listening to slipknot or machine head. Claire never loses sight on what is important to her: “Being a decent human being.”

Claire always makes it clear that she is no one to neglect an opportunity. She believes that you can’t hate anything until you try it. “I think it’s important that I have many experiences so I will have a more diverse perspective and understanding of the world,” Claire says. She is a non-judgmental person, and will accept people for who they are and what they love to do.

Claire also feels that social media negatively influences environments kids are growing up in. She believes that social media is rampant with  people stopping trying to grow, and becoming more judgmental.

She loves taking care of herself and do things that are out of character. “The combination of things I enjoy: I listen to heavy metal and do math. Or I watch the original Star Trek with Merry, my bed hogging cat,” Claire notes. She loves it when people open up to her about themselves, because she believes it gives her a bigger preservative of how amazing and diverse this world is.

Claire treats everyone like human beings, who deserve truth and compassion. She will never be seen judging someone. Maria Kupchin had a few things to says on what makes Claire such an amazing person. “She just really has a kind heart, and she knows how to make people feel good. I know that if I’m having a bad day I can always go to Claire. She’s just always there for me,” Maria shared.

Everyone is aware that Claire’s great view on things and ability to try different things allows her to be a great student. When asked about Claire’s habits and virtues as a student, Melissa Campos had amazing things to say: “Claire is very dedicated to what she does, she has very high goals for herself and I know she can always accomplish them.”

Claire is not only admired by her peers but by her teachers too, by her hard work and good soul. “Claire always has this enigmatic look on her face, as if she knows a secret that would blow my mind, but she doesn’t want to share it. She’s also an independent student who likes to work things out on her own. She’s just cool,” adds Mr. Judah.

Hood River Valley High School is an extremely diverse school. Each student has something greater that we can comprehend going on. Claire Powell is proof. She is student and person that will forever accept diversity and new opportunities. People like Claire Powell are what make HRV so great.

By : Talon Staff Reporter Maria Bustos