Freeman High School: Lane Mathews packs a ton into his high school experience

Summarizing the jam-packed life of Freeman High School senior Lane Mathews in a few paragraphs is not even close to possible.

Mathews has served two full-year terms as Associated Student Body president, been co-president of Freeman’s Future Business Leaders of America program, was a two-year yearbook editor, and has been involved in the athletic program as a scoreboard operator and public-address announcer. He also founded Drama Club and Unified Club this year.

And that’s just at school. In addition, he has his own photography business and is a partner in another. He also volunteers at Joya Spokane, a nonprofit pediatric therapy and neurodevelopmental center, and has played a role in helping to pass two recent school levies in the Freeman district.

And because of a congenital optic-nerve disorder, he has done all that with vision in only one eye.

Mathews has been a member of the Freeman community for his entire life, and many of his family members are Freeman graduates. His extracurricular involvement at FHS began before his freshman year, when he asked the athletic director about opportunities there might be to help out in the program.

As a freshman, he was an ASB representative, and when packets went out that spring, he decided to run for the secretary position.

“It seemed like the right fit for me,” he said. “I had been a rep and that was a good way for me to be part of ASB and not overstep my boundaries with the older students.”

Mathews said that running for ASB president was the best decision of his life.

“It was really eye-opening in my first term,” he said. “I had a chance to see firsthand all the opportunities that ASB provides for students. I had learned a lot sophomore year, but I felt that I could be a leader who could both listen and speak to others in the school and the community.

“I love public speaking, and I knew that I could be impactful during the special elections trying to pass the levies. I helped to host an open discussion night with school board and community members. One of the levies passed on the first try, and the capital levy just passed in February.”

Mathews’ interest in photography started as a sophomore when he shot pictures for the varsity and junior varsity basketball teams after playing for the C team.

“I developed a passion for it and I liked giving photos to my friends. It was both a way to learn and to provide something for other students. I got the chance to shoot at a district basketball tournament, then at a couple Gonzaga University men’s games, and eventually for Scorebook Live, which is affiliated with Sports Illustrated.”

Mathews’ visual disorder typically impacts growth and development, but for him it only limited his vision and depth perception, and he considers himself fortunate in that regard.

His experience at Joya as a child eventually led him to volunteer at the center, which provides therapies to children regardless of their parents’ ability to pay. He has spoken in several schools, at a Joya board meeting, and at fundraising events.

That also drove him to start Unified Club, which integrates students with special needs with general education students in different activities.

Next fall, Mathews will begin pursuit of a business degree at Gonzaga University. He loves stock trading, he said, but eventually hopes to get a teaching certificate and return to Freeman, inspired by so many teachers and staff members who made a lasting impact on him. And in the big picture?

“I would love to be president someday.”