Oak Harbor High School junior Heather McClure was sworn in Monday night as the 15th student representative on the Oak Harbor School Board. She replaces outgoing student representative, senior Sarah Krieg.

McClure, the daughter of Thomas and Sheila McClure, has a 3.8 G.P.A., and is a member of the National Honor Society. Before entering high school she had already received a President’s Award for Excellence in Academics, a Kiwanis Award and numerous others.

She is also active in community service, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Oak Harbor Southern Baptist Church.

She has volunteered at the Oak Harbor animal shelter and a number of homeless shelters and missions in Washington and Alaska.

She plans to spend her next Thanksgiving feeding the homeless with Big Brothers Big Sisters, and on Christmas she will be serving dinner for the homeless at a mission in Seattle.

In her letter of application McClure expressed a desire to be a part of the topics that directly affect her and other students, and to give her input on those matters.

“I felt this was a good opportunity to represent my fellow students,” she said.

Shortly after she was sworn in Monday by School Board President Vicki Harring she had the opportunity to do just that.

During Assistant Superintendent David Peterson’s presentation on drug, tobacco and alcohol use by high school students, she offered the opinion that students were more likely to try drugs and alcohol in the younger high school grades, but that by their senior year students were more focused on their future.

Oak Harbor High School junior Sheena Paddock also applied for the position, and she was chosen as an alternate. She will sit on the board if McClure is unable to attend.

Paddock is an Oak Harbor native, and said she had “true Oak Harbor pride.”

Her school service began with a stint on the student council in third grade, and in middle school she headed a program that sent kits to children in Kosovo. The project helped her hone her public speaking skills, making presentations to many area businesses and service organizations.

She has a 3.8 G.P.A. and serves as the ASB treasurer, as well as playing soccer and other school activities.

Outgoing student representative Sarah Krieg was presented with a certificate and a Golden Apple Award for her year of service. School board members agreed Krieg had done an exemplary job, and wished her well as she moves on.

“I hope this will help in your future plans,” Rick Schulte, schools superintendent, said.

You can reach News-Times reporter Marcie Miller at mmiller@whidbeynewstimes

.com or call 675-6611.