Sergio ‘Freddy’ Garciduenas-Sease, 18, Edmonds-Woodway High School

Published 9:00 pm Monday, February 16, 2004

Globe-trotter: Speaks four languages — English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. Dad works for the United Nations and family lived in Brazil, El Salvador and the African countries of Guinea and Cape Verde Islands. As a young teenager in Guinea with no TV, Internet, video games or e-mail, he would chase lizards around the apartment for entertainment.

Big picture: Heard gunshots of civil unrest in El Salvador and encountered beggars with missing limbs from the civil war in Sierra Leone, a neighboring country to Guinea. In Guinea, poverty was everywhere and his family filtered and boiled its drinking water. "When I moved back (to Edmonds), it was like, this is just crazy how simple and easy life is," Garciduenas-Sease said.

Classes: Has a 3.71 grade point average in the academically rigorous International Baccalaureate program. Schedule includes fifth-year Spanish. "It has really challenged me to do the best I can and put a lot of effort into my work," he said.

Thoughts on school: Returned to Edmonds in ninth grade. "I was kind of like the really shy guy who would sit in the back of the bleachers at assemblies. I did band and I really met a lot of neat people through that. I have really broken out of my shell. … Last year, I ran for class secretary and I won and that was like, ‘Wow, here I am. I transformed from a shy guy to a leader. … I love being part of the school."

What next? Organizing multicultural week at Edmonds-Woodway from March 1 through 5. Hoping to be accepted to Georgetown University in Washington D.C. to study international relations and follow somewhat in his father’s footsteps by helping people in Third World countries.

Know a super kid? Call us at 425-339-3036 or schoolfyi@heraldnet.com.