The Oaks Classical Christian Academy: Clara McEachran knows the importance of hard work

The Oaks Classical Christian Academy senior Clara McEachran is no stranger to hard work, whether she’s at home, on the volleyball court or in classes.

Her family lives in the Mead area, where they have an orchard, lots of land, and chickens. McEachran said her father has always emphasized work before play, so it’s not unusual for her to be outside feeding the chickens, cleaning up after them or collecting their eggs.

“Things like that have really helped me see the importance of work,” she said.

McEachran is the third child and she said her parents wanted them to attend the Oaks because they wanted their children to have a biblical foundation in their lives. “That was actually very important to them,” she said. “I’ve always gone to school there.”

Her mother died of cancer when McEachran was a year old. Her father has since remarried, but she said he has always made it a point to talk about her mother. “I don’t really remember my mom at all,” she said. “I’ve heard great stories about her. He makes sure we don’t forget her.”

McEachran has followed in her mother’s footsteps by playing volleyball, which her mother played at Washington State University. McEachran started playing on the high school varsity team when she was in the eighth grade, though she doesn’t think her skills were as good as they should have been. However, she was 5-foot-10, an asset on the volleyball courts.

“That’s definitely why they wanted me early,” she said of her height. “I was a little sloppy then.”

She also started playing basketball in middle school and has been on the varsity team for years. “I love team activities,” she said. “It’s a great way to get a workout in but just hang out with people and have fun.”

She also participated in swimming for a while, but had to give it up. “If I had infinite time, I would love to do that,” she said.

She’s been in her school’s Select Choir for three years and also played percussion since the sixth grade. She stopped doing percussion this year because of time constraints. “It was really fun, but it was a lot, so for senior year I decided to pick just one,” she said.

A skier since age 4, during the winter she keeps busy by visiting local ski slopes with her family. She said her family normally goes to Mount Spokane because it’s close, but they’ve also skied at 49 Degrees North and Lookout Pass.

School counselor Lynn Gibson said McEachran demonstrates leadership, humor and compassion. “Clara’s easygoing and joyful countenance is her trademark at the Oaks, where she has attended since kindergarten,” Gibson said. “Now a senior, her moral leadership, integrity and contagious laughter have strengthened our school community.”

McEachran plans to attend Gonzaga University for a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She said she hasn’t decided what kind of nursing she’d like to specialize in, but likes helping and caring for others.

“It really brings me joy,” she said. “I love medical stuff, also.”