A Clover Park School District story.
Our Promising Futures featured student this week is Thomas Middle School eighth grader Kaleb Gilliam.
Kaleb is a caring and focused student who enjoys earning an A in his class just as much as he enjoys making new friends around every corner. He says his attention to detail helps him in the classroom and his social life because it shows how much he cares. “I’m a military kid, so little details are everything to me, and they play a part in the big picture of everything I do,” he said.
Kaleb enjoyed the environment at Thomas and will miss the community students cultivated when he moves on to high school next year. “Something I really like about Thomas is that it’s a big school so there are activities and friend groups you can join all the time,” he said. “It’s never boring and the students here are really welcoming and respectful for the most part, so even though there’s a lot of us, it’s still a tight-knit community.”
Kaleb can find something to love about any subject in school, but the stretch between fourth and fifth period is his favorite part of the day because he gets to study history, meet up with his friends at lunch and learn about his favorite subject. “I like my science class the most right now because of the way my teacher, Mr. Freeman, runs his class,” he said. “It’s hands-on learning, and we aren’t confined to sitting and learning in one solidified space.”
Outside of the classroom, Kaleb loves to play basketball and hopes to join his favorite player, Damian Lillard, on the court one day. “I want to be an NBA player for sure,” he said. “I feel so connected and drawn to the game and everyone around me has played basketball since I was little, so it’s my safe place,” he said.
