Seniors Kyle Hummer and Carissa Swanson were named Sweet Home High School’s Junior First Citizens last week.
The two will continue on in a competition for Linn County Junior First Citizen with two students from each other Linn County High School.
“Excellent kids,” said teacher Luke Augsburger, who organized the program this year. “Both very, very motivated, independent and leaders for our school, their class.”
They faced stiff competition, Augsburger said. What sets them apart is their diverse civic activities, going above and beyond the call of duty, while achieving academically.
“Kyle Hummer is a goal setter and a leader,” said math teacher and wrestling Coach Steve Thorpe in a letter to the selection committee. “He works with tireless effort to achieve those goals.”
He is a three-year letterman in wrestling, two-time state qualifier and placer at state in Greco-Roman wrestling, while excelling academically with the same dedication, Thorpe said. When he failed to qualify for state in wrestling last year, he didn’t make excuses. Rather, he focused on how he could make himself better.
“Where Kyle Hummer shines best is in the kind of person he is,” Thorpe said. “He works with our mat club wrestlers and is never too busy nor too proud to visit with kids, peers and adults of various groups. He is respectful, honest and independent. He is confident in his faith with character and integrity.
“Kyle Hummer is one of the finest young men that I know and I am glad I have had the opportunity to watch him grow, to teach and to coach him. He has made me a better coach. He is the kind of person that you would be proud to call your own.”
Swanson’s school work is “A” quality on a consistent basis, said science teacher and cross country and track Coach Billy Snow. “When given an open-ended assignment, Carissa’s work will often show some creativity and originality. Carissa writes well, is organized and tests well. She is polite, respectful, does not make excuses and treats others well.
“What I have seen of her in the athletic arena mirrors what I have seen in the classroom and more. Carissa is one of the hardest workers I have ever coached and is a leader on and off the field. I have coached for 25 years, and Carissa is one of the top five kids I have seen who is extremely self-motivated.”
Swanson is a three-time state cross-country competitor and two-time state competitor in track. She has become one of the leaders on a good girls team, Snow said, and she did it by working hard day in and day out, organizing team activities and leading workouts. During the summer, she logged more than 250 miles on her own.
“She has organized a girls Portland to Coast team the last two years, which has helped develop a close bond amongst the cross-country girls,” Snow said. “The younger girls look to Carissa for guidance and answers.”
Her two strongest traits are her hard work and accountability, Snow said. “Carissa does not give up but will find a way over, around, through or under obstacles in her way. And as for accountability, Carissa will not try to shift blame if she falls short somehow, but rather learn from the situation and work to improve the next time.
“Carissa is a young lady that anyone would love to have as their own daughter.”
Hummer is the son of Steve and Ladema Hummer. He carries a 3.52 GPA and participates in wrestling, cross country and track. He is a Sweet Home Police Department Explorer. He works at the Jamboree on behalf of the wrestling team. He enjoys history and works at Safeway. He has one sister, Hailey Hummer.
Hummer plans to dual enroll at Linn-Benton Community College and Oregon State University to study business management, a degree he has learned is useful to enter law enforcement. He plans to become a police officer.
He was interested in pursuing a military career, he said. That interest shifted toward law enforcement.
“I kind of want to take charge and make a difference in that kind of way, protecting people and putting away the bad guys,” he said.
Swanson is the daughter of Scott and Miriam Swanson. She carries a 3.98 GPA. She competes with the cross country and track teams and keeps wrestling stats. She serves in leadership on the class board. She has been involved in various Sweet Home Active Revitalization Effort projects and the Jamboree. She works at The New Era. She has two sisters, Kimber and Sierra Swanson.
Swanson plans to attend college, but she has not decided where yet, she said. She is interested in nursing.
She is planning to volunteer at a hospital to make sure that’s what she wants to do, she said. Right now, she thinks “it’s interesting, always something new happening. You can do something new every day.”
Once she completes her nursing education, she would like to travel to another country and help people, she said.
An interview committee screened applicants. Among questions, they were asked to describe their strengths and weaknesses.
Swanson said she was a good leader, while Hummer said he is a hard worker. Swanson said she can tend to be negative when something she’s working on isn’t going the right way. Hummer said he has been shy most of his life. Both said they are working on improving their weaknesses.
The committee also asked what they would change about SHHS.
Swanson said she would give it a seven-period day to provide more electives, something students enjoy and which would help motivate students to attend school.
“I’d try to get school spirit up by putting it into what kids do every day,” Hummer said. He would involve school more in sports.
When asked about what they think of Sweet Home, Swanson said she bragged about sports, track and the college classes available through the high school.
Sweet Home is a tight-knit community, where people know each other, Hummer said, and the sports helps bring the community together.
Swanson said Snow has been the most influential in her life.
He takes time out of his own life and makes a difference in everyone else’s lives, she said. “He’s just really giving, really selfless. He’s like my second dad.”
Hummer pointed to his father, who is a social studies teacher at SHHS.
He always pushes Hummer to get better, and he’s always there for him, Hummer said. “He’s coached me half my life in sports and out of sports.”