Ask Cathedral School senior Claire Cothren what motivates her to be a straight-A student, active in her school, church and her community, and you might get a puzzled look.

&uot;I’m not really sure,&uot; the 18-year-old said. &uot;I’ve just always tried to do my best.&uot;

That simple self-motivation contributed to Cothren’s being named Cathedral’s Good Citizen by the William Dunbar and Natchez chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

&uot;I was surprised,&uot; Cothren said of her nomination. &uot;Because the other people on the list (of good citizen candidates) were people I would have voted for.&uot;

Cothren said she considers a good citizen to be someone who is &uot;responsible, determined to be successful and has respect for everyone they come in contact with.&uot;

And success doesn’t necessarily mean a six-figure salary in an office where everyone knows your name, Cothren said. &uot;When I think of someone who is successful, I think of someone who has created a good life for themself and (is) happy with what they’re doing,&uot; she said.

Cothren said she believes being a good citizen is not tied to age, and that high school students especially should take an active role in their community. &uot;People in high school should be involved in the community because they are the ones who will come back and lead the community in the future,&uot; she said.

To do her part, Cothren is editor and photographer for her school yearbook, president of the Key Club, part of the Cathedral peer counseling team, a four-year veteran of the tennis team and active in the Catholic Youth Organization and New Covenant Presbyterian youth group.

After graduation, Cothren plans to use the DAR scholarship as well as a leadership scholarship from Mississippi State University to major in interior design.

She is the daughter of David and Frances Cothren of Natchez.