April 2023 -- Houston High School senior Claire Decent is celebrating her hard work after winning the Presidential Scholarship for Mississippi State. This scholarship is considered one of the most prestigious scholarships awarded at Mississippi State, and on average, it is only awarded to 40 incoming freshmen.
Claire has worked on her academics all throughout high school, maintaining a 4.6 GPA, while taking a rigorous course of study. She was able to find a healthy balance between her schoolwork, playing a competitive sport, and finding time for fun as well.
As a competitive baton twirler, she is disciplined and understands that hard work and dedication are incredibly important to any path. Claire wakes up at 4:00am several days a week to ensure that she has practice time. Claire twirls for a team based out of Tallahassee, Florida, and she travels to Florida twice a month to visit family and practice. She was recently named the Tennessee State Junior Grand Champion. She qualified to represent the United States as part of Team USA in Liverpool, England. Claire says that baton twirling has taught her many life skills, and it has been a part of her life since she was in the second grade.
Claire also manages to include a part time job and volunteer work into her busy schedule. Volunteering has taught Claire a lot about herself and made her realize how much she enjoys helping others. Whether it is helping with community cleanup after a storm or teaching baton classes, she sees the importance of being there for those around her. She is thankful for the experiences and relationships she has made through these endeavors as it has helped her to develop social skills, responsibility, and empathy.
Claire is also involved in the Houston High School community. She is in the Beta Club, National Honors Society, and Honors Academy. She serves as a public relations officer for the Houston Hearts Club, where she manages social media and communications. She is also a member of SGA and the Environment Club.
Clair Decent has worked so hard to achieve this scholarship, and the GMSD community is incredibly proud of her! Congratulations Claire!