It is likely that anyone involved in activities at Bellefonte High School or in the surrounding community knows of BAHS senior Claire Topper. Claire is someone who seems to have tried everything, and has succeeded outstandingly at it all.

This school year, Claire is enrolled in four classes: Agriculture and Sustainability, Foods 1, calculus, and AP Government. Throughout her time at BAHS, she has enjoyed a number of classes, including biology, Sign Language, and AP Psychology. She recommends each of these classes, or another class with the teachers of them. She notes that this year she particularly enjoys AP Government.

“It’s challenging, but it’s worth it. This class showed me a whole new way to look at the US government,” she said. 

This year, Claire only attends classes in the afternoons. She spends the first half of her day working at Kidz Connection Daycare through the BAHS cooperative education program. 

“I work at a daycare part time, which is so much fun,” she said. 

In addition to her work and class commitments, Claire is involved in a number of extracurricular activities. She participated in band through her sophomore year, and still continues to play the flute. This is her seventh year of involvement in Drama Club, in which she works as stage manager. She is involved in Key Club and  serves as the secretary of the National Honors Society. This is also her second year as the Senior Class school board representative for the BAHS study body. 

In her free time, Claire does yoga, which she says, “helps [her] to relax especially during the stress of senior year.” 

Claire is also a published writer. She has two published works; the first is a short story called “Red Revenge,” which was published by NYC-based group the Teen Writers Club. She is currently in the process of writing her first novel, “To Embers,” through a California-based company, aJoara Novels. 

“I write a lot in my free time,” she said. 

While Claire is involved in and excels at many things, she notes that she can still find it hard to stay motivated, however,  she has a positive outlook on this difficulty. 

“One thing that I think is helpful is reminding yourself why you are doing it. My mom has always said, ‘live your life to avoid saying, I wish I could have,’ so I try to stay motivated by doing things that I like and not regretting my choices,” she said. 

Following graduation, Claire plans to attend higher education to study diagnostic medical sonography (ultrasound) and to “hopefully work as a pediatric sonographer someday.”

“I was inspired to go into ultrasound because I really like working with people and I feel passionate about protecting people’s health. I also enjoy working with kids and working at a daycare really inspired me to work with children in healthcare…I really like ultrasound because you get the opportunity to diagnose things without invasive procedures,” she said of her career plans. 

Claire’s advice to younger students is to “study and put effort into your academics and extracurriculars, but don’t forget to live…do things that make you happy.”

Senior Paige Kephart has known Claire for six years now, and considers her to be one of her “absolute best friends.” She remarks on the qualities that make Claire a good person to interact with. 

“She is so sweet, mature, respectful, [and] nurturing. She gives everything she can to making those around her feel comfortable and cared for, and she has the brightest future ahead of her. I think everyone could bear to be just a little bit more like her,” Paige said.