The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

You may see Seth Flanders on your TV in the coming weeks; you may hear his name on your radio.

At 18, the Sisters High School senior holds an impressive list of accomplishments; enough so that The Center Foundation, in their ongoing quest to recognize student leaders with "superlative personal attributes," has chosen to honor Flanders as their April High Desert Hero.

Nine "Heroes" are selected each year; in the coming weeks Flanders will compete against eight other stellar Central Oregon students for a $5,000 scholarship.

"It's a blessing and an honor," Flanders told The Nugget last week while he was out of town touring colleges. "They've put me with a group of kids that have made an impact on their communities and on others."

Kristi Rawls, Sisters High School science and activities director, has no doubt Flanders belongs in such high company. It was she who nominated him for the award.

"I'm so excited that Seth is getting recognized this way. He is an outstanding young man that deserves the honors he has earned. It's always nice to see good, hard-working students get positive recognition.

"He is an amazing team player - whether it's in the science lab or in a drama production. He's an outgoing, versatile, bright student."

The list of Flanders' accomplishments reads something like this: Student Body President, Eagle Scout, Class Valedictorian, Cross Country Team Captain, Mr. SHS finalist. But it's his leadership style, says Rawls, which sets Flanders apart.

"He is a positive leader that makes everyone around him better."

Conversely, Flanders credits Rawls with being one of the most influential people in his life.

"She has really been my mentor. I work closely with her as Student Body President. She has guided me, listened to my ideas, and shown me what it is to be a good leader."

He also gives props to Sisters Christian Academy (SCA).

"SCA absolutely prepared me academically, socially and spiritually to handle my high school years. I can't imagine where I would be in my life without that."

One highlight Flanders likes to recall from his years at SCA was the annual assignment to research a historical figure and then portray him or her dramatically. As an eighth-grader, he says he chose Neil Armstrong and "got really into the role."

Drama continued to play a part in Flanders' high school years; last fall he took stage as Don Pedro in the lead role of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing."

His knowledge of the tech side of production has been an asset to Sisters Community Church, where he volunteers regularly in all facets of children's ministry.

If you attended the Buckaroo Breakfast during last summer's Sisters Rodeo, you benefitted from Flander's Eagle Scout project: he put 240 man-hours into rebuilding the Buckaroo picnic tables.

"Scouting helped with different skill-sets, like outdoor skills as well as leadership," says Flanders, who is due to receive Eagle Scout recognition at an upcoming Court of Honor.

He also swam on the Varsity Swim Team for the past four years, participated in the Key Club and helped at the Kiwanis Food Pantry.

But he says his primary focus is on student government. "I want to see student government prosper. It has a lot of potential to be great, to allow students to have a voice. I think it's important to have a voice in your school and in your community."

Flanders is making plans to study science, math and/or engineering at one of three Northwestern universities: Pacific, Gonzaga, or Whitworth. While acknowledging that his interests are varied, he's leaning toward a career in a medical field, with "pre-med as my goal and math as my backup."

The purpose of the High Desert Hero program is to focus attention on student leaders who demonstrate high academic achievement, leadership, and positive citizenship through community involvement.

Flanders will be profiled on Horizon Broadcasting Group's five radio stations and interviewed by Kristi Miller on Good Morning Central Oregon. He will also receive a $100 mini-scholarship, a gift certificate to a local retailer, and a medallion.