Josh Schenck has a stubborn drive to win. That determination has carried him in overcoming big challenges in his life. He also credits Oakland High School as a caring community where he has found important wins.   

Here is what Schenck shared about how Oakland High School set him up for success:  

What’s an accomplishment you’re proud of?   
Graduating early and being the only person in my family to go to college. I made a mistake at my last school, but that one mistake led me to coming to Oakland. After that, I decided to focus on school, and now I’m graduating early.   

What's a challenge you've overcome?  
For me it’s big because it isn’t just one challenge, but I lost eight of the closest people to me because they all died. Being able to fight and succeed while dealing with all that has been my hardest challenge. 

What are your plans for next year?  
To be at Central Washington University working to achieve three different diplomas: one in law, one in business, and one in religion. I’m looking forward to being on my own, finding myself, setting myself up for a future family. My main goal would be to make sure they don’t have to live the life I’ve lived. If I can do that, then I’ll have succeeded in life.   

How has your school experience helped prepare you for that pathway?   
My school experience has prepared me by showing everyone grows up differently, and we all have different backgrounds. It’s a lot easier knowing that at Oakland. I’ve gone to many different schools, but at Oakland I actually feel like it is a community where they care about each other. We don’t judge people here. We try to help out as many people as possible. I haven’t seen any bullying here. At the end of the day, it is all love.   

What would your biggest fan say about you?   
That they are proud. I used to be made fun of for my lack of knowledge, and now I feel like I’m one of the smartest. I’m always at school unless I’m sick or working. It has helped me a lot.   

Teacher Lori Gavranich is one of those adults who is proud of Josh.  

“I had Josh last year in geometry and this year in financial math. He makes the class better because he is always willing to speak up. He might not agree with what I have to say, or another teacher or student, but he is respectful in how he challenges things,” she said. “For example, in financial math, we talk about taxes and credit. He always has really insightful things to say. He really thinks through them. He doesn’t just put something down on paper to get credit. He really wants to understand things. He is a hard worker! Those are just a few of the things I appreciate about Josh.” 

What words would you use to describe yourself?   
Smart, caring and a stubborn drive to win.