Kyle Adams

When the story is told about Kyle Adams life, which is one packed full of adventures around the world, constant change, and a type of fearlessness scattered with incredible amounts of thought and care, one may think he is a well-versed adult who has already lived most of his life. But really, Adams is a senior at Highland High School, and the 2017-18 English Sterling Scholar.

Starting at a very young age, Adams showed signs of an outgoing and open personality. He has always been unapologetically himself and not afraid to get out of his shell. When most are nervous to talk to a stranger on the street, Adams sees them as a potential friend. And while others simply greet the unknown person sitting next to them on a long flight, Adams and his friendly demeanor continue the conversation until he knows their entire life story. This aspect of his personality is essential to Adams’ success.

“When Kyle was just 18 months old, his father and I took him to a mall. We were living in Washington D.C. at the time. He was walking in front of us and we decided to hide behind some plants and pillars to see what he would do. He kept walking without a fear in the world and never looked back,” Adam’s mother Beth said.

While the word fearless is very accurate when describing Adams, it can almost seem like an oxymoron when combined with his mindfulness. Every move he makes and every word he speaks is crafted with a careful consideration for the audience and its intended purpose, but still comes out just as fast as a quick thought. Adams does a wonderful job at putting this way of thinking into his writing, making it one of the many reasons he earned the Sterling Scholar Award in English. His writing is well-thought-out but also contains a dauntless undertone. Adams takes risks with whatever he is writing, whether it be a paper for a chemistry lab or an article for the Highland Rambler.

Along with his open personality and fearlessness comes Adam’s commendable ability to try new things. He also has persistence with everything that comes towards him. He has a wide range of skills in so many different fields, but some favorites are art, cross-country, track, and journalistic writing.

“I tried running my freshman year at West High School. I’ll skip the gory details, but by the end of the day I had thrown up at least three times. That’s when I instantly fell in love with it,” Adams said.

When a challenge is thrown at him, Adams embraces it head on. He was frustrated with cross country in the beginning, but with constant practice and a positive attitude, he has grown not only as a runner but also a person as well. He was one of the cross-country captains this year and has shown that his drive pays off for him.

“We are so proud of him, he is so driven no matter what happens. He keeps going when things get tough and he keeps going when things are great he is determined with everything he does,” Beth said of her son while choking back tears.

Adams is determined both on his feet and in his mind, never letting issues get in the way of his final goals. As a writer this is necessary in creating his final product. When the going gets tough he doesn’t just give up on his work, he pushes through the obstacles and learns from them.

The one thing that Adam’s wants to make sure he does when he grows up is effectively change the world through writing. With such a broad range of options he can do with his writing, and many skills under his belt, Adams should have no problem of accomplishing this.

“The cool thing about writing is that every single academic field requires it. People who are recognized, and I want to be recognized as someone who can help the world, they have the ability to communicate with others and spread their ideas. So I want to be someone who can first change the world, and be effective at spreading my ideas with my writing,” Adams said.

And he is well on his way of doing just that. Adams has received a multitude of awards for his writing, both in journalism and creative writing. However, his journalistic writing is what he hopes to continue doing to help change the world.

With his educated mind working hard and a pencil in his hand, look for Adams as a Nobel Peace Prize winner in the near future. Because with the goals he has in mind and the skills he can use to achieve them, he is destined to do great things.