GOOD HOPE, Ala. — Good Hope senior Raigan Easterwood had a great time being involved in so many different clubs and learned so much during that time.
“Being a part of so many clubs prepared me for college in so many different ways. The Youth Leadership Development Program taught me how to be a humble and efficient leader, and using these skills, I plan to lead many clubs in college. Being involved in clubs also helped me meet so many other people in my age group, and we all worked together as a team to work on speeches, projects, and fundraisers,” Easterwood said. “Jugging multiple clubs also taught me time management so that I can apply that skill in both school and my occupation. Overall, being involved in my school and community improved my experience in school and everyday life. It taught me skills that I will need in the real world and the workforce, and I can’t wait to be involved in many clubs and organizations when I attend Wallace State this fall.”
Raigan also ran track-and-field since the seventh grade and soaked up as much as she could from head coach Matthew McCulloch.
“Even though I didn’t win any special awards or get any honorable mentions, never quitting was one of the lessons I learned. I know I worked hard and liked the sport. I had the resilience to finish out the sport through my senior year. I met some incredible athletes with inspiring stories, and I’ve made lifelong friends through track,” Easterwood said. “He never once doubted my abilities. Even when I feel like I have failed him sometimes, he was always proud of me and always encouraged me to put my best foot forward. He taught me that even when we fall short, quitting is never an option. He would always give us new and challenging workouts to make sure we could handle whatever was thrown at us, so he pushed me past what I thought were my limits. He never let us quit, so I feel that he taught me an important lesson that I can apply in all areas of life. He was also very personable, and he cared about all of us, so he was also a person we could come and talk to about anything. Whenever we had a problem about school or anything else, he always had that same philosophy: don’t quit.”
Raigan had so many great track-and-field memories, and she will deeply miss doing that this year.
“I have a lot of favorite memories, because we are all like family. One of them was when coach McCulloch made a ‘Big Man’s Relay’, and he put four throwers on a 4×1 team at a meet. We all had a lot of fun watching the throwers sprint. Another good memory would be the little races against each other after track practice; we had our own winner’s bracket and everything. Sometimes, instead of practice, we would play kickball or soccer the whole time,” she said. “The thing I’ll miss the most is getting ready for a meet. I love the bus rides there, because we would play music and we would all sing together. We would also play songs over the speaker, and everyone loved it. We would just enjoy each other’s company, and I know that’s something from high school that I’ll cherish for a while.”
She had so many great high school memories as well and Good Hope will forever hold a special place in her heart.
“The memories I made at Good Hope were endless, but the things that stuck out to me the most were the random activities that we did. I remember at the beginning of my senior year, our assembly consisted of standing up in front of everybody and dancing for a prize. I also loved all the talent shows and other fun assemblies that the administrators set up for us. Not only did we have wonderful teachers, but they were also wonderful friends to us. Mrs. Ellis’s class will always be a fond memory of mine, as we would choreograph our own plays and have fun field trips with her. Not only was high school fun, but they provided me with tools about things I wanted to learn. I loved dissecting animal brains, eyes, and kidneys. Not only was it fun, but I learned a lot from those labs.”
She added,
“Good Hope is special, because you’ll always have a friend. We’ve always been a welcoming school, and even though high school has their groups and cliques, I feel as though, anyone can talk to anyone else at Good Hope. The teachers at Good Hope have unique personalities, so connecting to them on a personal level is super easy to do. At Good Hope, it is so easy to have a good relationship with both teachers and your classmates. It is truly like a tight-knit family.”
She will remember a special teacher and her class, and she will deeply miss being a Raider.
“I will always remember Mrs. Ellis’s class. She was the most understanding and big-hearted teacher I’ve ever had. She would always have meaningful conversations with all of her students, and she made English class fun by letting us put our own work and ideas into projects, plays, and other work. She truly cared about her students and their mental health, and she always went above and beyond for us,” she said. “The one thing I’ll miss about Good Hope was socializing with so many different people. It seemed like every time I talked to my different classmates, something new and exciting was going on with them.”
Raigan gave the upcoming freshmen some advice and she talked about her role models that she looked up to.
“My advice to students who are starting back school in August, never underestimate yourself. Always go the extra mile, even when you think you can’t. Hard work always pays off, and it never goes unnoticed by the teachers. Speaking of teachers, my advice would be to have a good relationship with them. You can never go wrong with being extra nice to them and always turning in your work on time. It really does come in handy sometimes.”
She added,
“My role models in high school were Mrs. Ellis and Mrs. Aby. They were so easy to open up to, and they had just the right amount of both toughness and gentleness. They knew how to teach a class and keep students out of trouble, but they also knew how to talk to students and how to comfort them through rough times. I admired them for having an uplifting attitude, while doing their job at the same time.”
She talked about the best advice that someone ever gave her and the scholarships that she received from Wallace State.
“The best piece of advice given to me was during a YLDP meeting my senior year. Lisa Warren was giving advice about leadership, and she said, ‘Model the behavior you desire to be around’. This advice was very helpful to me, as I know exactly what I want out of a leader. Using that knowledge, I can better myself so that I can be a great leader at work and in school. She also said to ‘be better tomorrow than you are today’. It reminds me that tomorrow is always another chance to better myself.”
She added,
“At Good Hope High School’s senior awards, I received a few scholarships from Wallace State. I was awarded the Presidental Scholarship (a full ride), the McKenna Grace Sharpton Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $2,000, and the Cullman Savings Bank Scholarship in the amount of $1,000. I am so thankful to have received these scholarships, and I know it is the result of hard work and never underestimating myself.”
Raigan talked about her college plans as well.
“This Fall, I will be completing my prerequisites for a Nursing degree. After I complete that, I will be in the Joint Degree Nursing Program, where I will be completing my Associates Degree in Nursing with WSCC and my Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing with UAB. I plan to eventually attend Midwifery School at UAB, where I will become a Midwife.”
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