Jamie Copeland is a senior at Cedar Park Christian Schools’ Mountlake Terrace campus. She is a basketball player, ASB president, cheerleader and, of course, a Lion. (Dan Bates / The Herald)

Jamie Copeland is a senior at Cedar Park Christian Schools’ Mountlake Terrace campus. She is a basketball player, ASB president, cheerleader and, of course, a Lion. (Dan Bates / The Herald)

Cedar Park Christian senior stepping up to new challenges

Jamie Copeland’s academics include STEM studies, leadership, ASB activities, honor society.

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — Jamie Copeland, who lives in Snohomish, is a senior at Cedar Park Christian Schools’ Mountlake Terrace campus. The ASB president still tries new things, such as cheerleading this year, and pulls a 4.0 in a demanding honors and STEM program.

Question: You are the president of the Associated Student Body. What are you working on?

Answer: At the moment we have homecoming. Our school doesn’t have a football team. So basketball is our big sport. So we do our homecoming court and our homecoming in January, so we’ve been planning for that.

Q: What drew you to leadership?

A: The people I saw in leadership were kind of who I was striving to be. Like when I was in eighth grade and I was looking up at the seniors, I thought those people are really setting a good example. I wanted to do that myself. So I stepped up and got involved. It was a great way to get involved in school, too, and that’s something I’ve really enjoyed in high school.

Q: Why is it important?

A: Especially at this school because it’s such a small school, by being involved I’ve been able to help others, myself included, to find more friends and just have greater relationships with people. And also as the leader now … to go out more to people who don’t have a place and include them.

Q: What else are you involved in?

A: I’m on our (National Honor Society); I’m the vice president of service this year. I’m in cheer right now. I’ve done volleyball, basketball, track and field. And I’m in our STEM program right now. Actually me and the other person in it are going to be the two first who will be graduating with the STEM diploma.

Q: What is the STEM diploma?

A: So it’s science, technology, engineering and math. It’s a separate diploma, so you have to do different requirements, electives and classes. So I’ve taken computer science. I’m in engineering design now. I’ve taken video game design, web design. It also requires you to take four years of math and science, which also goes along with our honors program that I’m in as well.

Q: Why was this something you wanted to pursue?

A: I think probably just the higher diploma. I like math but I’m not a huge science person. But our engineering design class I enjoy quite a bit more than I thought I would. … I think I just wanted to figure out something I’d be good at, because I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do for college.

Q: What are your plans?

A: At this point I’m waiting for acceptance letters. … I’ve considered possibly doing elementary education or physician’s assistant or physical therapy, but I haven’t narrowed down on one. I kind of just want to do something where I can help people. With elementary kids, I feel like that’s a really vital time of their life where you can pour into them, and I love kids.

Q: Do you have any teachers you look up to?

A: There are so many mentors that have poured into my life and they really care about us here. I think that one that has been like my best friend is our teacher Mrs. (Ann) Gillis. She was my eighth-grade through sophomore year math teacher and she’s also the ASB adviser. So she’s taught me a lot. She’s a really good teacher, but on a personal level she also knows me so well. I’ll sometimes go in her office and we’ll just talk for an hour. She’s one of the sweetest people I’ve met in my entire life.

Q: This is your first year doing cheer?

A: All other years I played basketball. We went to state last year. … I just decided I wanted to go out with that as my last memory of basketball. Our boys team is supposed to be really good this year. So I decided to stay in the basketball realm and join something new. We went in blind, and it’s been so much fun so far.

Q: You’re also involved in your church?

A: I love going there and just spending time there. It’s been so much fun. I’ve gotten such close relationships with the people there. I just came back from a mission trip in July to El Salvador. It was just awesome.

Q: What does it feel like to be at this stage?

A: There’s a lot of different emotions that you feel. I feel the stress of “oh my gosh, I don’t know what I’m going to do with my life.” … I’m in that stage where I’m like I don’t really want to leave high school yet, but I’m also a little bit ready to go and just experience something new.

Melissa Slager: mslager@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3432.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Employees and patrons of the Everett Mall signed a timeline mural that traces the history of the 51-year-old indoor mall that was once considered the premier place to go shopping in the city. Thursday, March 20, 2025 (Aaron Kennedy / The Herald)
Mall mural offers nostalgic trip into the past

Past and present Everett Mall employees joined customers Thursday to view an artistic timeline of the once popular shopping mecca.

Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen gives his State of the City address on Thursday, March 20 in Edmonds, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Edmonds mayor talks budget at 2025 State of the City

Mayor Mike Rosen discussed the city’s deficit and highlights from his first year in office.

Daron Johnson, who runs Snohomish County Scanner, stands next to his scanner setup on Tuesday, April 1 in Everett, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Snohomish County law enforcement to encrypt police airwaves

The plan for civilian police scanners to go dark pushed a host to shut down his popular breaking news feed.

Richie Gabriel, 1, jumps off the bottom of the slide as Matthew Gabriel looks down at him from the play structure at Hummingbird Hill Park on Monday, March 31, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds residents show up for Hummingbird Hill Park, Frances Anderson Center

After a two-and-a-half hour public comment session, the council tabled its votes for the two comprehensive plan amendments.

Students Haddie Shorb, 9, left, and brother Elden Shorb, 11, right, lead the ground breaking at Jackson Elementary School on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett district breaks ground on Jackson Elementary replacement

The $54 million project will completely replace the aging elementary school. Students are set to move in by the 2026-27 school year.

Logo for news use featuring Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Another positive measles case identified in Snohomish County

The case was identified in an infant who likely contracted measles while traveling, the county health department said.

A Tesla drives along 41st Street on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Washington faces uncertain future of Clean Air Act regulations

The Trump administration’s attempt to roll back numerous vehicle pollution standards has left states wondering what’s next.

A person walks through the lot at Kia of Everett shopping for a car on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘The tariffs made me do it’: Customers move fast on cars

At one Everett dealership, customers move fast on cars ahead of Wednesday’s expected announcement on tariffs.

Public’s help needed to find missing Arlington man

The 21-year-old left the house Sunday night without his shoes, cell phone or a jacket, and was reported missing the following morning.

Will Geschke / The Herald
The Marysville Tulalip Campus on the Tulalip Reservation, where Legacy High School is located.
Marysville board votes to keep Legacy High at current location

The move rolls back a decision the school board made in January to move the alternative high school at the start of next school year.

The former Marysville City Hall building along State Avenue on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
City of Marysville, school board amend property exchange

The city will relocate its public works facility to the district’s current headquarters, which will move to the former City Hall.

Snohomish County Elections employees Alice Salcido, left and Joseph Rzeckowski, right, pull full bins of ballots from the Snohomish County Campus ballot drop box on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County to mail ballots for Edmonds, Brier elections

Registered voters should receive their ballots by April 9 for the April 22 special election.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.