Leading Ladies of CHS
As Women in History month comes to a close we are taking the time to celebrate some of the Leading Ladies at CHS who have made a positive impact in our school system.
Carly Stokes - CHS World Language President
Extra-curricular involvement & leadership positions:
- Freshman Utilizing Zebra Experience — Mentor, AUGUST 2019 - PRESENT
- REFRESH Student Leadership Team — Student Leader, JULY 2019 - PRESENT
- National Honors Society — Junior Rep. & V.P. of Public Relations, MAY 2019 - PRESENT
- World Language Club — President, AUGUST 2018 - PRESENT
- Mu Alpha Theta — Member (Math Club), AUGUST 2018 - PRESENT
- Native American Student Association — Member, AUGUST 2018 - PRESENT
- Christian Club — Member, AUGUST 2017 - PRESENT
- Track — Varsity Runner, JANUARY 2018 - PRESENT
- Cross Country — Varsity Runner, AUGUST 2017 - DECEMBER 2020
Q - Why is it important to get involved and make a difference in high school?
It is important to get involved during high school because you will get to have so many new and different experiences that can help prepare you for the future. I am forever grateful for pushing myself to get involved early on in my freshman year because it allowed me to make new friendships, have new experiences, and new memories. It is also important to make a difference in high school so that future generations can see how you led and you can be an example to them.
Q - If you had to create a 140 character tweet to describe you what would it be?
I am innovative like shark tank, analytical like Kohlthoff, and I have the endurance of a pronghorn.
Q - Who is a mentor or role model who inspired you & why?
I would have to say a major role model in my life would be my grannie, Sandy Boughton. She is one of the most considerate and strongest people that I know. She has persevered through four different types of cancer and she beat them all. Every time that she is put to the test, either physically or mentally, she has pressed on and came out stronger. She has always been there for me and I know she always will be. She is one of the most genuine and caring individuals I know. She has taken care of her elderly dad for the past twenty years without even blinking an eye. She will always help someone in need. I would be lucky to have half the heart she has when it comes to caring for others.
Q - If you knew me better you’d know I …
If you knew me better, you’d know I am named after the North Carolina Tar Heels, because that is my dad’s favorite sports team.
Q - What are your dreams for your future?
I hope to attend college at the University of Arkansas and major in Marketing with a minor in either management or anthropology. After graduating, I hope to either become a sports media manager with a known sports team or a marketing director at a major retail/commercial store. I plan on getting married and having kids after college. I plan on living in either Oklahoma, Texas, or Arkansas. But, ultimately as much as I plan, I know God has my future planned out and I will trust in Him.
Q - What legacy do you want to leave here at CHS?
I want to show people that you don’t have to be the most popular person, the president of an organization, or a team captain to make a difference. You can change other’s lives without even knowing it. As long as people can see your positivity, tenacity, and your strive for excellence it will be enough to impact someone for the better.
Q - What do you love about Claremore Public Schools?
I love the family atmosphere at CPS. Every teacher is here because they want to be here and they care about the students, they are not here for the money. The teachers, staff, and even students are always there for you if you need it. There are several teachers and staff members that have cared for me and taught me to be a better person.
Q - How long have you attended CPS?
I have attended CPS since sixth grade.
Q - Who has been the most influential teacher in your career and why?
Mr. Cummings has been one of the most influential teachers during my high school career. He taught me that we don’t always have to go by the book. His love for teaching and history is out of this world. He goes out of his way to make sure that students fully understand each concept before moving on. He even brings up extra details about each historical period, not often found in textbooks, to keep kids interested.
Q - What is your favorite piece of pop culture and why (book, movie, tv-show, podcast, band, social media influencer)?
I don’t have a very sophisticated response to this question, but my favorite tv-show is The Office. I love this show for many reasons. It always makes me laugh, there is a good storyline, and the characters are relatable. This show has shown me that you can have fun while working and that while your goals may be slow to develop if you constantly pursue your goals, you can achieve them.
Q - What has it been like to lead through this pandemic?
It has been a challenge for sure. I have learned through adversity that plans will change and you have to adapt to those changes. The pandemic threw everyone for a loop and we all had to make sacrifices to move forward. I have learned how to be more confident in my leadership positions since even more so now, people are looking up to me for answers. It has taught me to be more creative, to think outside the box.
Q - How has attending school through a pandemic grown you positively as a person?
Going to school, work, and living life through a pandemic has been a struggle, but I have been able to grow and change during these unprecedented times. Some things that I have taken away from this time that have helped me to become a better and more positive version of myself would be to not take anything for granted and to be thankful for what you have right now. COVID has shown me that you can plan all that you want, but things are going to happen, your plans are not always going to work out. You have to be able to compromise certain aspects of events and realize that your idea of how something should happen is not always right. Being able to go back to school, church, and other events in person has made me more positive because I now realize how precious time is. I missed out on so many things my junior and now senior year, so I have been able to have a more positive outlook on what we can do. For instance, we were able to have our whole cross country season this year and as of right now we are still able to have in-person school and track.
#CPSZEBRAPRIDE