TYLER YOUNG, a senior at Morse High School, is to receive the 2016 Principal’s Award.
Tyler Young of Woolwich, a senior at Morse High School, is the recipient of this year’s Principal’s Award.
The award, sponsored by the Maine Principals’ Association, is given to high school seniors in recognition of their achievements in academics, citizenship and leadership.
Young said when his principal, Jay Pinkerton, had asked to see him during English class, he had “no idea what to think.”
“I was really surprised,” he said. “I didn’t even know there was a Principal’s Award or anything like that. The more I read into it, I guess the more surprised I got.”
While Young’s list of extracurricular activities includes being a member of the Interact Club, a group of students involved in community service opportunities, and participating in year-round sports, he is also a distinguished student.
Young said he hopes to attend college to study electrical engineering and join the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps.
When asked how he got interested in engineering, Young spoke of his internship at SUPSHIP Bath by Bath Iron Works in past summers.
“I am really intrigued by the whole shipbuilding process and all the technology on the ship and everything,” he said. “I guess being from this area, I drive by the bridge every day and look over at the ships and stuff like that. I’ve always been intrigued with how stuff works and trying to get it to work better.”
He also commended his teachers at Morse who influenced him and “really set me on the right track.”
“You can hear bad things about every school, but you don’t hear a lot about the teachers at Morse and how good they are,” he said.
As far as being a leader, Young said it began with his involvement in sports and “branched off from there.” As the captain of the soccer team this past fall, he said the experience “really taught me a lot about being a good leader.”
He also spoke about his leadership in an academic setting.
“With group projects in school, I don’t really like to sit back. It’s just kind of who I am; I have to be doing something,” he said. “Freshman year I took an engineering class, which I really liked, and there was a group project. I started off kind of being the quiet freshman that didn’t really talk much and ended up leading the team. I don’t know, it just grew over time.”
And having participated in international projects and fundraisers organized by the Interact Club, Young also shared about why volunteering was important to him.
“I think it’s good to get involved to see what’s out there and definitely to give back,” he said. “You see how much time and effort goes into helping people and it feels good for me when I can help somebody out and learn different things.”
The Principal’s Award is presented in more than 100 Maine public and private high schools by principals who are members of the MPA.
Young and Pinkerton, among other students and principals all over the state, will attend an honors luncheon next month where students will be recognized for this honor.
“Throughout his years at Morse High School, Tyler has distinguished himself in the classroom, on the playing field and as a leader in the school and the community,” Pinkerton said. “He very much deserves this recognition.”
dkim@timesrecord.com
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