Chandler High School seniors Jackson Barton and Rachel Wayland have been chosen as Lions of the Month by the Lion’s Club for the month of December.
Jackson, the son of Kent and Lisa Barton, maintains a high level of accomplishment in academics while staying remarkably busy in extracurricular activities.
He plays the saxophone and has been a member of the Chandler High School band for four years.
Jackson has participated in the CHS Chapter of Future Farmers of America. He showed sheep for four years and was on the Ag Mechanics Team for two years.
He has been involved in the Boy Scouts of America for 11 years achieving the rank of Eagle Scout in September of this year. His leadership qualities, camping skills and other scouting ideals earned him membership in the Order of the Arrow, which is the National Honor Society of the BSA. The OA is composed of scouts and scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives as elected by their peers.
Jackson took part in the Northern Tier Trek, a 75-mile canoe trip in the boundary waters of Canada and the Kiamichi Warrior Trek, a 14-mile round trip backpack adventure in the Kiamichi Mountains of Southeastern Oklahoma.
As part of his service to the community, on Memorial Day for the last six years, he has helped place flags on the graves of military veterans at Oak Park Cemetery in Chandler and volunteered to serve at the CHS Alumni Banquet.
He is employed at Classic Collision in Chandler.
Rachel is the daughter of Mark and Trisha Wayland. In addition to her regular curriculum, she takes concurrent classes through Rose State College in Midwest City, Okla. She is a member of National Honor Society and was chosen as a delegate to 2020 Oklahoma Girls State.
Her leadership capabilities were evident as she served as sophomore class student council representative and junior class student council vice president. She received the Rotary Youth Leadership Award and was named October Student Rotarian.
While participating in varsity pom, her squad achieved State Pom Champions in Jazz and runner-up in Hip Hop. They were State Pom Academic Champions for two years.
Rachel is also involved in Be A Light, Positive Peers, Business Professionals of America, Drama and the youth group at First Baptist Church of Chandler.
Her volunteer work includes upkeep of the memorial garden at the Lincoln County Museum of Pioneer History and clean up of the New Zion Cemetery.
She collected items to help homeless veterans, helped place flags on veteran’s graves for Memorial Day and served during the Veteran’s Day luncheon.
Rachel further served the community by volunteering at the Acts of Love Food Pantry and providing childcare for foster parents. She participated with the youth group at First Baptist Church in their Hometown Mission Trip. The students spent a week cleaning, painting and other chores for several sick, elderly and needy members of the area.