Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Prayer, patience pay off for Valley Christian student

Taylor Eggleston has worked it out

Taylor Eggleston, now a senior at Valley Christian School, started there in kindergarten.
Sherry R. Kenady sherrykenady@gmail.com

Taylor Eggleston has grown up at Valley Christian School.

Eggleston, who started at the school in kindergarten, has spent a lot of time there, time enough to go through youthful difficulties, such as depression, feeling lost and friendship issues. At one point she begged her parents to let her go to another school.

“I was told to keep on praying and good will come out of it,” she said.

Her teachers were key support figures through it all.

“My teachers are amazing. If I had any issue on any day, I would go to them more than I go to my best friends or anyone else,” Eggleston said. “Sometimes they give me advice and sometimes they just listen and have me figure it out on my own. I will be missing the staff and my wonderful teachers. They have left such an impact on my life.”

Life did go on after middle school years. “After a lot of prayer and patience, things started getting better towards the end of my eighth-grade year. Things have been great ever since then. So, I have definitely gotten over the depression. My teachers were constantly there for me, when I couldn’t run to my parents during school,” she said.

Counselor Christina Flint watched her change. “Taylor became a stronger person. She handled it so well,” Flint said. “She’s … very charismatic, very giving of herself.”

In her high school years, Eggleston has been busy. She has held offices in the Associated Student Body, including class president, treasurer and, currently, secretary. She has helped plan many school activities and events, including homecoming, and later became homecoming queen. Her monthly service projects have included the Ronald McDonald House and soup kitchens.

Flint said Eggleston has a contagious spunk. “She’s a role model to all of the students, from juniors all the way down to the elementary students. They all look up to her. Because we are so small, we are like a tight-knit family.”

Eggleston is also on a dance team that practices four nights a week.

“I have been dancing for 15 years; competitive dance team for about 13 years, ever since I was in kindergarten,” she said. “It’s one of my true loves. I do all types of dance: tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, contemporary. I’m fully committed to my team at Expression School of Performing Arts. They are like my family.”

Eggleston is an honor roll student; she has been awarded two scholarships totaling $11,000 and hopes to attend Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. “I either want to go into elementary education or public relations, pretty much something with kids either way,” she said.

Eggleston has one sister, Audrey, and her parents are Debbie and Larry Eggleston.