Applying to college is no easy job, but having a passion can draw the attention of many schools.
OVS Senior Andrew Thacher has always had a passion for the environment.
“I have always liked the outdoors,” Andrew said. “When I was six, I went camping for the first time with my dad.”
His devotion to the outside world has not faded, and he jumps at every opportunity to get outside and inspire others to do the same.
Andrew’s knowledge of the outdoors and his academic strength recently got him accepted to Humboldt State University, an environmental college near a redwood forest. “I applied there to study marine biology,” he said. “I love the ocean. I go surfing and swimming a lot, and there is an issue with the bleaching of the coral reefs due to climate change.”
As the Outdoor Representative of the Student Council, Andrew has been working hard to plan camping trips that align with the COVID-19 guidelines. “After weeks of brainstorming with the faculty, I developed a solution to provide students access to our outdoor program,” he explained. Andrew successfully launched a trip to the Channel Islands with a group of day-student seniors. His accomplishments helped him to gain his spot in Humboldt as he impressed the school with his ability to use his passion for the outdoors as a vehicle for productivity within his community.
“My biggest goal is to implement the idea that students can run their own trips,” he said. As Outdoor Representative, Andrew is determined to help students learn to plan camping trips themselves. “I want to get students more excited and involved with the planning,” he said. “The more excited you are to get into the outdoors, the better the time you will have.”
Andrew wrote about his outdoor experiences in his application to Humboldt and included the many trips he has planned and attended. He went on many camping trips with the lower campus and even took on the challenging 100-mile backpacking trip. “My favorite trip at lower was mountaineering,” he said. “A lot of schools don’t have very good outdoor programs. My first ever time backpacking was in sixth grade at OVS, and I was hooked.”
He has also gone on several trips with the OVS outdoor program at upper, including climbing at Alabama Hills and hiking at Joshua Tree. His most memorable trip was his freshman year backpacking trip at Little Lakes Valley. OVS has pushed him to overcome barriers, as he climbed above fourteen thousand feet. “I don’t think I ever would have gone that high,” he said.
Andrew’s acceptance into Humboldt is a direct result of the hard work he has put into pursuing his love for the environment.
“The outdoors are a big part of my life,” Andrew said, “and I know I want to continue camping in college.”