Tristen Wendling

Parents: Todd and Michelle Wendling

GPA: 3.8

Class rank: 2

Co-curricular activities: Student Council (Senior President) and National Honor Society (President).

Community activities: In the past, before COVID-19: Volunteer for Latino Commissions and Volunteer for Veteran Affairs.

Future plans and goals: Continue my education into College (Political Science). Be a part of a political committee, and help a candidate run successfully for office; overall, be involved in the political field.

How will your high school experiences help you in the coming years? Being a part of the student body, in high school, will help me lead in the future with empathy and an understanding of the many types of people I will come across.

Fondest memory of high school: Riding with my friends Mason Westerhoff, Carson Netser, and Connor Grindstead. Listening to music, having fun conversations, and just enjoying the ride every day.

Which teachers have had the biggest impact on you and why? Mr. Higdon and Mr. Eden. Both have pushed me to think outside of the box and look at something from all angles. Both have also helped me become a better orator, and to articulate my points more coherently and effectively.

Who is your role model and how did they influence you? Calvin Coolidge. As President, he minded his own business and focused on doing his job effectively; keeping his end of the bargain. This is the behavior I try to emulate in my academic and personal life. Instead of pushing myself into other people's work or copying, I focus on my work and make sure I do my part.

What is special about your high school? While Highland is small, it comes with a large amount of opportunities. Highland and its staff are connected with a lot of good, hard-working people and businesses that can set up any student for success post-high school.

If you go back to when you were a freshman, what advice would you give yourself? I do not think I would go back. Freshman Tristen did a good job of treating everyone with respect, doing his work, and enjoying life at the same time.