Kirk Park resident Ethan Hunter is graduating from Issaquah High School this spring! He has spent the last six years on the Highlands Youth (HY) Advisory Board, serving the community through various events, projects and initiatives. After graduation, he plans on attending University of Oregon to study computer science!
Here are some of Ethan’s biggest takeaways from the last six years on the HY Board:
What did you learn from your experience on the HY Board?
This is a surprisingly difficult question to answer, mainly because I don’t know where to begin. Joining the board in sixth grade, I quickly realized two things: this is way outside my comfort zone, and that I love it anyways. To name a few, I’ve learned how to be responsible, how to explore and discuss ideas within a team and how to bring people together, all of which are things I use daily. Stepping back though, the biggest thing I’ve learned is how to trust and believe in myself. In that first meeting, I must have taken twenty minutes to say a word, and another twenty to recover. Since then, I’ve learned to trust my ideas and decisions, and I know this isn’t exclusive to me.
What did you enjoy from your time on the HY Board?
Seeing what can happen when you work with such an amazing team of people. The end of an event has to be one of the best feelings, though. Things happen so fast during an event that you can’t really slow down, but when you can step back and see all of your ideas and planning come together and see other people loving every minute of it, it’s just amazing.
Knowing what you know now, if you were just joining the HY Board, would you do anything differently?
Honestly, not really. I’m so happy that I’ve had the privilege to be here for so long, and that I haven’t really blown any of it off.
What surprised you about being on the HY Board?
The amount of planning required for things that seem so simple. How you approach problems with really any HY project is so incredibly different because of it’s scale.
What is your message to the remaining HY Board members?
Never be scared to share your ideas. Especially if you’re a younger member, it can be intimidating to pitch something to all of your peers. Some of the best ideas have come from the most random thoughts. Also, never feel locked down to any idea. Feel free to try out new things, or entirely rethink old ones.
What are your hopes for the future of the H
Y Board and its impact on neighborhood peers?
I hope to see the board host events more frequently. Even if they aren’t major ones like Halloween or the Egg Hunt, giving teens more opportunities to interact with one another is always a good idea.
How did your experience help to build your own self-confidence?
In sixth grade I really did not trust myself, or my ideas. In general, I was always scared to share my own opinion on something, or be wrong. Since then, I’ve learned so much about problem-solving. It’s taught me how to sit down with a massive problem and figure it all out with complete confidence.
What new skills do you learn?
Problem solving, teamwork, responsibility, accountability, brainstorming, leadership and how to listen.
Ethan is a senior at Issaquah High School and a Kirk Park resident.
Senior photo courtesy of Michelle Enebo.
Now Accepting 2023-2024 HY Board Applications
The HY Board is now accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year. Ideal candidates are motivated, outgoing, creative, and dedicated to making our community better. Candidates must live in Issaquah Highlands and be entering seventh through 12th grade in fall 2023. The deadline for application submissions is April 26.
Top applicants will be invited to a personal interview for final consideration. Click here for more information and application details.
Submit Your Free Graduation Announcement!
Highlands Council seeks graduation announcements for publication in the summer 2023 issue of Connections. At this time, we are seeking announcements for graduates from high school, college, and technical/trade schools.
To be featured, graduation announcements must be submitted by May 31, 2023. Be sure to select “Graduation” in the announcement form to provide all the relevant information for your announcement. Click here to submit your free announcement.
