Super Kid: Straight aero
Published 12:01 am Monday, January 24, 2011
Q: It’s your senior year. What’s your class schedule like?
A: I’m taking seven classes, I normally take six classes. I’m taking an after-school advanced placement government class. There’s about eight students in that class.
Q: What made you decide in your last year of high school to
take one more class than you usually take?
A: I’m kind of an AP freak, so if there’s an AP class I usually take it. This year I have AP statistics, AP chemistry and AP government.
Q: What’s your favorite class?
A: I really like AP government a lot. The class is so small, and I have a great teacher and enjoy the content.
Q: What has been the best part of your school year so far?
A: I’m an ASB executive officer and I really enjoy doing that. I’m the secretary-treasurer. We just got done with our food drive and that was really successful. We’re just trying to start the new year off strong and get things figured out.
Q: Speaking of the new year, did you make a New Year’s resolution?
A: Well, I kind of procrastinate sometimes, which is bad to do with all of the classes I’m taking.
Q: What are your plans after you graduate?
A: I got accepted to the University of Central Florida so I’ll probably be going there, but I applied to Brown University and Penn State and the University of Washington as well, so I’m still waiting on those.
Q: When you’re not busy studying what do like to do?
A: I’m the captain of a Relay for Life team. My friend’s dad was diagnosed with cancer eight years ago, and I’ve done (Relay for Life) ever since. He passed away two summers ago so I just keep doing relay.
It’s the first Lake Stevens one and we’re having it at the high school this year. It’s pretty exciting. Last year our team raised about $9,000, and we were all high school students on the team. It’s like a big party. It’s not one of those fundraisers you just give money to. You learn a lot about cancer and cancer prevention.
Q: I heard you were part of the Washington Aerospace Scholars program over the summer. What was that experience like?
A: It started my junior year in December. I applied and it was a six month online course so every two weeks we had assignments due online, and it was building up to a summer residency. It was a week, they put us up in a hotel, and we went to the Museum of Flight every day. It was 13-hour work days. It was a really fun experience though.
Q: Did the experience help you decide on a future career path?
A: For a while I was going to be an aerospace engineer, but on all my applications I’m saying undecided because I really am undecided on my major, but that’s definitely a possibility, especially if I go to Florida where Cape Canaveral is a half-hour away.
Q: You have a few months left of high school. How does it feel?
A: It’s a little overwhelming. It’s really overwhelming actually. My parents are moving to South Carolina as soon as I graduate. So July 19 is my last day in Washington. My dad told me that and that kind of hit me. I’ve lived here almost all my life.
I’ve always looked forward to college. I get that you’re supposed to meet new people when you’re in college but it’s going to be hard to leave my friends. It’s going to be very different.
Q: Some people reflect on high school being one of the best times of their life. Would you agree?
A: Well, considering life is pretty long this has been a small part of it, I guess. So far it’s been pretty good for me, I think. It’s hard now. I’m so done with this.
Q: Are you feeling a little bit of senioritis?
A: Yes, probably since about junior year.
Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.
