Averie Clifton

When I was in high school, I realized that I wanted to do something with my life that would actually help people. I decided that one of the best ways to do that is by teaching. I hope to teach high schoolers history and create an inclusive classroom where people of color, women, and queer people, which are all identities that have frequently been left out of the narrative presented within the public school system.

I have a couple of plans for grad school; I'm hoping to go to either Portland State University, Pacific University, or another grad school with a good secondary education program!

Creative Writing Club October 2011 - June 2016
In Creative Writing Club we played writing games, learned writing tips (such as how to develop a character or create an eerie feeling for our readers), and workshopped (read and discuss the piece and talk about how to improve it) another club member's writing. I was also able to create a multitude of different sorts of writing games. My senior year of high school, I was the president of this club.

Roots and Shoots Club October 2010 - June 2011
In the Roots and Shoots club, we discussed ways we could make our school (Cedar Park Middle School) and our community a more environmentally friendly place. We planted trees on the school grounds, listened to presentations done by the Portland Audubon Society and the Oregon Zoo, and held a contest between the classrooms in our school to see which one was the "greenest." I was one of four selected students each year that was chosen to go to a meeting where Roots and Shoots clubs all over the state of Oregon met, where I met Doctor Jane Goodall.

Girl Scouts November 2005 - Present
We do a variety of activities, such as volunteer work, selling cookies, entertaining children, performing skits and songs, leading games, and more.

Multiplayer Roleplaying Games 2010 - 2011, 2018 - Present
I play multiplayer role-playing games in which I create a multitude of different settings and characters. I cooperate with multiple people as a team for creativity and conflict resolution exercises in a timely manner through storytelling scenarios that I provide my companions with.

Queeries Panelist April 2020 - Present
Queeries is a student-led volunteer program created to bring about a PSU campus environment that is free from homophobia, heterosexism, and gender bias, created by the Queer Resource Center. Students from around campus volunteer as panelists to discuss their own experiences as queer people.