Camas High School Junior Andrew Wade has lived in Camas for approximately four years. He moved from Bakersfield, California to Camas, Washington, and was first enrolled in the Evergreen School District. As a middle schooler in a completely new environment, Wade said that he struggled with his grades and felt like he did not fit in. A class that Wade particularly struggled in was geographical history.

He said, “I was behind in history since Washington focused a lot on subjects like Lewis and Clark’s expedition and California focuses more on the history of the Goldrush.”

His family moved to Camas at the beginning of his freshman year. During that year, Wade auditioned for the Spring musical “Hunchback of Notre Dame” put on by the CHS theater department. He played the parts of a cardinal and got to sing a solo. Wade also acted as a soldier in the ensemble.

During the musical rehearsals, and experiencing the camaraderie of the group, he was hooked.

Wade said, “One of my favorite things about the theatre department is the environment, everyone is so supportive of each other. Performing for an audience and seeing all our hard work come to life for others to enjoy is one of the best experiences of my life.”

Wade actively participates in many different clubs, sports, and activities. He swims for the CHS boys varsity swim team and is actively involved in Boy Scouts, working towards his Eagle Scout. Wade is also a member of a club called “Jack and Jill” which focuses on teaching leadership skills to African-American children aged 2-19. In addition to that, he is a member of the Student Voice Project which is designed to bring equity to the Camas Community, the Student Advisory Committee, and the Black Student’s Union.

In March of 2020, Andrew was preparing for his role in the Spring Musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” where he was preparing for the role of “Mr. Bigley”, a prominent businessman in the show. Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic caused Washington State to shut down all the schools and the show did not go on. A silver lining for Wade in having to quarantine at home was that he found it easier to study and work on his schoolwork at his own pace. His grades improved and he was giving more thought to his future.

“I know as a junior I don’t need to start planning my future till my senior year, however, I feel as though I am more focused on doing well so I can apply to Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). I have my eyes set on Howard University,” Wade said.

He has enjoyed his time at CHS and he values the friendships he has made. Wade hopes to see his fellow classmates in-person sometime soon.