For the extended version of this interview, click here

By: Tommy Sneider <[email protected]>

What are your thoughts on being the first Distinguished Graduate?
I’m so honored to be the first Distinguished Graduate. I’m happy to represent this program because it stresses what I think is important in high school. The whole point about the distinguished graduate program is that it awards learning and growth inside AND outside of the classroom. I hope the students here realize the importance of the program and even more apply next year.

How have you balanced all of these activities with schoolwork?
It can get hard, especially during Accents’ competition season. Then, I can have w to 5 and Accents from 6 to 9. I get home by 9:30 and study until midnight or 1 a.m. Wash, rinse, repeat. It’s a matter of knowing what I have to do and making up my mind to do it. Actually, I find being involved in so many activities forces me to budget time wisely and study efficiently.

Are there any activities you still wish you could do?
I don’t exactly know what you mean by this comment. Time constraints have to become a reality at some point. As a junior, I had to stop playing for the Carmel tennis team because Accents and tennis had conflicting practices. Even so, I enjoyed playing tennis and hope to play intramural (tennis) in college.

What made you want to do all of these activities?
When I attended my first convo as a freshman, I remember that former Assistant Principal Lee Lonzo told us we only take with us what we leave behind. The general impression I got was that the high school experience would improve the more involved one was. I also got involved with so many activities because it just felt natural. It was never really a question for me. I expected a busy schedule from day one.

What has been the most difficult part of doing everything?
The most difficult part of being so involved is that I often forget that I need a break. It’s so easy to just keep going and going, to follow the same routine and not to notice exhaustion. I can be like the Energizer bunny who just gets too wrapped up in work to realize the batteries have actually run out. Because not only do I participate in so many activities, I study hard and enjoy hanging out over the weekends with friends. What time do I have left for myself?

What are your plans after graduation?
I’m attending Duke University in the fall of 2008. I plan on studying international relations, languages, neurolinguistics or maybe psychology. I’m quite undecided as far as the exact major, but I’m fascinated by world cultures and human interactions.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hm. In five years I’ll be 23, graduated from college. I see myself either at graduate school, researching something intriguing, or maybe in Europe, working in a foreign capital. I don’t really know what my future holds–those speculations might just be daydreams, or they might mirror truth. Regardless of my activities or my location, I see myself happy and loving life.

In 10 years?
In 10 years I’ll be 28. I see myself as a more established, more knowledgeable, and even more successful version of my 23-year-old self.

How do you think you have made Carmel a better place?
I don’t think I made Carmel a better place as much as it made me a better person. Carmel has given me a place to grow and challenge myself. After all, it’s very difficult for just one person to change 4,000. But I hope that, because of me, people laughed more or maybe found something they were interested in. I hope they had one more friend.

What’s your favorite part of this school?
My favorite part of this school is our school spirit. It might sound corny, but I still love piling into the varsity gym and half-singing, half-yelling the words to our fight song. There’s something to be said about seeing 4,000 other teens awash in blue and gold cheering thunderously as one.