Photo Caption: Claire Bishop, the brand new Indiana State fair Queen getting crowned after a long weekend of competition.  

When you think of successful people, what traits come to mind? Organization? Strong work ethic? Positive attitude? Open-mindedness? These things come to mind when people think of Claire Bishop. Many teachers, administrators and friends can attest to this as well.

Claire is projected to be valedictorian, is one of the two selected for the Lilly Scholarship, is Indiana State Fair Queen 2023, and was Hancock County Queen 2022. Along with academics and pageants she has also been in 4-H most of her life. These accomplishments are few of the many successes of Claire Bishop. 

“Claire is having such a fruitful year in that all of her hard work and growth are paying off! I have had her in my classroom for three years now, so I know it wasn’t overnight success— she has put in the time, energy, and effort, so anyone who really knows her is ecstatic to see her continue to shine,” Laken Rosing, teacher and mentor to Claire, is one of the many people who know just how hard she has worked for everything. Claire has put in nonstop effort in everything she does. Her work ethic is virtually unmatchable. 

Claire was homeschooled up until her freshman year, and one of the questions she was asked her was just how different public school is compared to home school. “Public school has been challenging for me because I have little control or freedom in my day, and have a daily routine that’s pretty much identical every day. The courses and teachers here, though, have definitely helped as I’ll go into college with over 30 credit hours.” She went on to say that home school taught her time management, and independence which helped make the switch easier.

 Early last year Claire decided to apply for the Llilly scholarship, which is primarily based on community service and involvement. “I have volunteered service to areas such as STEM, music, agriculture, education, and youth. I have many passions and found ways to give back to those areas through my community. I genuinely care about my community and those within it,” she said. This is what sets Claire apart from the other applicants. 

 Claire does have a plan for after high school. she is going to Purdue University and majoring in Brain and Behavioral Sciences with a double major in Interpersonal Communication. 

Besides her passion school she also has a passion for 4H pageants. In 2022 she was crowned as Hancock County Queen, which then made her eligible for the state pageant this January. “Although a lot of contestants practiced (interview, speech, modeling, etc), I went into the pageant with little practice because I truly wanted to be my authentic and genuine self,” Claire’s prep for the state pageant looks a little different than some of the other contestants. She wanted to put Claire on the stage, not a rehearsed version of her, which panned out for her because she ended up winning the whole pageant. Her reign began on January 9, 2023. 

“Claire Bishop has had as much positive impact on our school (and the larger community) as any of the Cougar students who went before her.  I am incredibly proud of her for the things she has accomplished.  She is truly an amazing ambassador for G-C!” Dr. Harold Olin, superintendent of Greenfield-Central said.

Mr. Jason Cary, principal of GCHS commented as well, “We are very proud of Claire and her accomplishments.  She is a great representative of our school and our community, and we can’t wait to hear about her successes after she graduates.  She has a bright future ahead of her.”