The next time you leaf through your high school yearbook, think about the people who were called “most likely to succeed” — but didn’t.
Then there’s the student who wasn’t in the high school spotlight, studies hard, enrolls in college and seemingly comes out of nowhere to be recognized for academic and leadership skills.
Everett High School senior Joe Stavig could be just such a student. He attained a just-short-of-perfect 3.96 grade point average while taking courses that included honors English, math and science, as well as advanced placement calculus, chemistry and English.
“I still haven’t gotten a B throughout high school,” he said. “Just a few A-minuses.”
In the fall, Stavig will be attending the University of Washington, where he plans to major in chemical engineering.
Jack Roy, Everett High’s assistant principal, said that Stavig often volunteers to work the sound system for various high school events, including school dances.
He described Stavig’s leadership style as a “servant leader,” supporting everybody around him.
“He’s that person behind the scenes making everything happen,” Roy said. “You wouldn’t notice it unless Joe wasn’t there. … He’s not about to take credit for it. He just does it.”
He’s the kind of student who shows up for athletic events to cheer others on. Sometimes students get involved in volunteer activities because it will look good on a college application or resume, Roy said. Stavig, he said, works behind the scenes simply because he enjoys doing it.
“It’s unusual to have a student who has such great abilities and is willing to give back to the school in that manner,” Roy said. “The school has become his community service. Joe spends a lot of time to make Everett High School a better place.”
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