Tyson Poling senior feature
By McKenna Poling
The phrase “variety is the spice of life” is one that is all too familiar for Tyson Poling. Don’t be fooled by his quiet demeanor; Poling, a senior at SFCHS, is arguably one of the most spontaneous students here at SFCHS. There’s always something you can learn about Poling, whether it be his infatuation with black holes and outer space or his fascination of all things prehistoric, the list goes on and on.
“Tyson is so fun to be around because you never know when he's going to pop off a clever remark, witty repartee, or a deeply insightful comment,” said Jackie Allen, English teacher. “He has a very calming way about him that makes me want to take a deep breath and consider my place in the world.”
Teachers agreed that Poling is at times soft spoken, but his personality is much bigger than he lets on. Poling is someone who always offers an interesting opinion or a unique perspective on things.
“I really do enjoy having Tyson in class,” Allen said. “He is quiet, but I find that quiet people most often have insightful ideas to share. I just have to encourage them to share. Tyson is like that: when he says something, it is worth listening to.”
Poling’s teachers are not the only ones who acknowledge his easy going personality. His peers and close friends also know how impulsive he can be.
“Tyson’s best quality is that he is very spontaneous and always keeps you guessing,” Keigan Taylor said. “My life would be completely different if I hadn’t grown up with Tyson I think, I feel like my personality would be very different.”
During their childhoods, Taylor and Poling were joined at the hip; wherever one of them was you’d surely find the other. Taylor undoubtedly knows Poling better than most. It’s no surprise that when Taylor speaks of growing up with Poling he tells stories of absurd and jovial fun.
“I do not have him as a student this year so I am irritated at him,” said Jeff Olofson, Poling’s former teacher. “He is very quiet and I was never sure what was going on in his brain at any given time. He is prone to mysterious smiles {...} Tyson has a general interest in many things and so his questions were often a little from left field. This is related to his general sense of curiosity which is a wonderful trait in a student.”
Poling is planning to work for Stratton Equity and become a spray pilot.
