EVERETT — Elliott Forde, the 2015 valedictorian of Archbishop Murphy High School, graduated June 5 with a 4.0 grade point average.
His mom, Aileen Forde, who works at the school overseeing annual giving, heard her son jokingly called “boy genius” recently by Shannon McCann, Murphy’s communications specialist. There is truth in the nickname. Forde is already an experienced app developer.
And in February, he won the Class 2A state diving championship. He was recognized by Gov. Jay Inslee as a 2015 Washington Scholar, and is among this year’s Washington State Principals’ Scholars.
Question: Your college choice is Massachusetts Institute of Technology. How did you decide on MIT?
Answer: My junior year, I took a spring break trip. I visited Harvard, Yale, MIT and Brown. MIT is such a good school for the sciences. I love math and science. I was there again in April. MIT is in Cambridge, not far from Harvard.
Q: And you’ll continue diving in college?
A: At MIT I’ll be part of the men’s swimming and diving team. But even for athletes, you’re there for the education.
Q: Do you have a favorite dive?
A: My favorite is an inward one-and-a-half pike. You flip toward the board instead of backwards.
Q: Tell me about being an app developer. You have published several apps and games for the Windows Phone, and say you have earned a “substantial sum.”
A: I started in sixth grade. I read online articles and started making little games for Zune HD and the Windows Phone. One of them, UnfollowSpy, notifies you when people unfollow you on Twitter and Instagram. They’re published in the Windows Phone store.
Q: When do you find time to develop apps?
A: A new project takes a couple months of nights and weekends. I did a lot over winter break and spring break. My parents would tell me to do homework before programming.
Q: How do you sum up your high school career?
A: I like to be involved. At Murphy, I’ve been busy with academics, swimming and diving, rowing and DECA. Well-roundedness embodies the culture at Murphy.
Q: Do you have siblings?
A: I have two older brothers. Both have gone to Oregon State University and were rowers. One graduated this year. I also rowed my freshman and sophomore years with the Everett Rowing Association.
Q: How do you spend your free time?
A: App development has been part of my fun time. I play music. And “Interstellar” is my favorite movie.
Q: What instrument do you play?
A: Since elementary school I’ve been playing piano. First I took lessons and learned classical songs. More recently, I’ve been learning by ear and playing other music. I’m also learning guitar.
Q: How will you spend this summer?
A: I’ll focus on app development for iOS. I recently got an iPhone.
Q: Have you picked a college major?
A: Computer science, but I also like biology maybe as a minor.
Q: Is there a favorite memory you are taking away from Murphy?
A: I will remember Kairos — it means “God’s time” — the junior and senior retreats. We spent a weekend at Camp Brotherhood. It’s a chance to be with your classmates and really get to know a different side of them.
Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?
A: MIT has a five-year program to get a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Maybe I’ll be going to one of the big tech companies in Silicon Valley.
Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460; jmuhlstein@heraldnet.com.
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