The Oaks: Josten McEachran enjoys seeing the results of his work

Of all the qualities that make outstanding graduates noteworthy, humility is one of the least celebrated. But that’s why Josten McEachran is unique.

On the eve of a trip to Mexico to visit his grandfather, McEachran thought for a moment about why he was the Oaks Classical Christian Academy selection for a senior profile. And came up empty.

“I’m not sure why they would have picked me,” he said. “I’m not the best student. I try to be a friendly guy. And I was chosen by teachers to give a toast at Protocol (described on the school’s website as ‘an evening of truth, goodness, and beauty’).”

Beyond that, though, he described a school experience heavy on commitment, on being fully invested in the activities that attracted him and upon giving back to the school, students, and faculty. One of his favorite – and least favorite – courses was rhetoric.

“I had a love-hate relationship with rhetoric,” he said. “I loved the fact that I can look at something and build an argument on either side of it. During my junior and senior years, I participated in Mock Trial, and this year we won first place at districts and finished fifth at state.

“I was a witness on both sides of a case, so I had to research about 100 pages of information on the case. I really enjoyed the acting side of Mock Trial and being a witness. I don’t think that I want to be a lawyer, but because of Mock Trial I’ve been way more interested in our legal system, and I even did my senior thesis on American government.”

Scott Welch, his Mock Trial coach, said that McEachran did a standout job of playing both witness roles.

“In Mock Trial, you don’t just get to act,” he said. “You also have to be cross-examined as the witness, and know the roles inside and out. Josten is a hard worker and an amazing teammate. He keeps everyone laughing, and it was a huge blessing having him on the team.”

McEachran also participated in choral music at the Oaks but – typical for him – discounted his contribution.

“I guess I could say that I helped keep the tenor section afloat,” he said. “Until I was about 13, I had a decent voice but no passion, but as I have become more of a leader at school, I saw that there weren’t many guys who loved singing, and I ended up having a drive for it and trying really hard.”

He may not see himself as a role model, but describes an attitude and behavior that certainly would reflect the qualities associated with servant leadership.

“When I was much younger at the Oaks,” he said, “I saw the seniors as scary and as people who didn’t want to talk to younger students. So I’ve tried to make an effort to connect with (people in) grades other than my own and to avoid the personal bubble that it’s easy to get into.”

McEachran has worked the past two summers for a landscaping company, where he said he enjoys seeing the results of his work, even driving around Spokane occasionally to observe the finished product.

As far as the future, he’ll attend community college next fall and eventually study computer science at Eastern Washington University, on his way to a career in cybersecurity or video editing.