Medical Lake Endeavors: Goal-oriented Camaryn Clark-Branden finds alternative path to success

Multiple generations of Camaryn Clark-Branden’s family have lived in Medical Lake, and she followed in their footsteps to Medical Lake High School.

However, like some students do in a typical high school environment, Clark-Branden found herself struggling and enrolled in Medical Lake Endeavors, the district’s alternative high school. There, she has thrived.

“My freshman year I was really struggling with attendance and academics,” she said.

She liked that Endeavors, which is in the process of merging with Medical Lake High School, offered a schedule that was still structured, but more flexible. That has been particularly useful in the past year after she added a part-time job to her schedule.

“They had a lot more available in terms of times,” she said.

She said she has particularly enjoyed the staff at Endeavors. “I really liked it there,” she said. “The compassion and one-on-one help is better than anywhere else.”

Teacher Keith Dunlop said Clark-Branden cares deeply about people, is goal-oriented and works hard.

“She consistently sets goals and strives to reach them,” he said. “She’s a gifted writer, speaker and debater who knows who she is, what she believes in and where she wants to go.”

Clark-Branden said she’s never formally been involved in debate, but said she and Dunlop often have discussions. “We love to just debate about all kinds of topics,” she said.

She said Dunlop has been one of her favorite teachers. “He has such a good attitude when he comes in,” she said.

She was previously in choir for seven years, but hasn’t had time for that activity recently. “I’m still very much an avid singer,” she said.

She has been devoting some of her time to work. Last year she began working for a hospitality company that provided staff for a variety of venues. She spent time working as a barista at the Park Bench Café in Manito Park and worked concessions at the Looff Carrousel in Riverfront Park. She was promoted to supervisor in January but recently started a new job at a fast-food restaurant where she hopes to work up to a management role.

“I’m just trying to work my way up in the service industry,” she said. “I love serving people. I’m very much a people person.”

This fall, she’d like to take classes at Spokane Falls Community College that will help her reach that goal. She said she wants to make a career in the service industry, where she enjoys listening to customers’ stories and talking with them.

“I just like hopefully making people’s day better,” she said.

Dunlop said he’s confident that Clark-Branden will succeed.

“We couldn’t be more proud of Camaryn and the excellent student she has become,” he said. “We look forward to seeing where the next chapter in life takes her and seeing all the amazing things she will do.”