Dive in: Darren Howell has been on the Meadowdale High School swim team for four years and competed in two state competitions. His favorite stroke is the butterfly. “It’s the easiest stroke for me at short distances and it’s fun to go fast.”
Snow sports: Howell enjoys playing football and snowboarding with his friends. He started snowboarding in second grade during trips to the slopes with his family. “The jumps are fun. I can’t really do that many tricks, but getting big air is definitely pretty amazing. When you fall though, that’s not fun.”
Future Husky: After he graduates, Howell plans to attend the University of Washington. He’s not sure what he’ll study.
Tough schedule: Howell is currently taking three advanced placement classes — calculus, literature and American government — along with advanced physics, team sports and senior experience. He’s an A student who has taken six AP courses during his high school career. “The teachers who teach AP classes are incredible. They really make us want to learn.”
Freshman link: Howell has been active in Meadowdale’s Link crew since his sophomore year. The group helps underclassmen feel welcome and acclimate to high school.
Father and son: Howell has always looked up to his dad, Ronald Howell, the CEO of the Washington Research Foundation, an organization that helps universities and other nonprofit institutions raise money. For his senior project, Darren Howell wanted to learn to improv on the piano. His dad, a fervent saxophone player, jammed with him. Howell also admires his uncle, Larry Brice, who died last year. “My uncle was a gentle giant. He could bench around 350 pounds, but always was the most gentle and loving person.”
Manly home: Howell is the middle of three sons. He says his younger brother is taller than him and a standout soccer player, and his older brother just graduated from the University of Washington and is an academic powerhouse. “It’s good because I get to learn a lot from my older brother — how to do things and not to do things. I also get to learn from my younger brother.”
Dragon tales: The Pendragon series by D.J. MacHale are Howell’s favorite books. “It’s an adventure sci-fi thriller book. It’s not like it’s really heavy reading. It’s just enjoyable.”
Jazz man: Howell has played piano for five years, but pretty much stopped when he entered high school. He’s getting back into it. “I really like music — to put on the headphones and get lost in it.” He prefers jazz, rap and hip-hop.
New moves: After school, Howell sometimes practices hip-hop dance moves with a friend in the wrestling room. He recently mastered back flips.
Kaitlin Manry: 425-339-3292, kmanry@heraldnet.com.
Know a super kid? E-mail schoolfyi@heraldnet.com.
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