Should I be a doctor? Or a lawyer? … Should I go to college in Montana? Or Utah?
Oh to be Ian Muir.
The Mountain View High senior, like every other senior at this time of year, has some life-changing decisions to make.
“It isn’t easy and it’s not just me,” Ian said. “All teens go through this. We have a lot of pressure.”
Ian has options because he is interested in both biology and political science. He’s hoping a March trip will help him gain insight into how the government works and use that as inspiration to make a college decision. He will travel to Washington, D.C., to participate in the 55th annual United States Senate Youth Program. Selected by Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, Ian will join 104 high school students throughout the nation for a week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it.
“This program is going to be life changing and will mold me as a person,” Ian said.
He hopes to meet the Supreme Court justices and Crapo and Risch. If he meets President Trump he would ask one question: How do we keep states from falling behind in education like Idaho?
Ian said many of his peers are concerned about education in Idaho. It’s a topic he thinks about often.
“Students don’t have a big enough voice as they should,” Ian said. “I hope my D.C. experience will inspire me.”
Ian’s high school accomplishments
Ian owns a 4.1 grade-point average and is ranked eighth in his class. He received scholarship opportunities from Montana State University, University of Montana, University of Utah, University of Idaho and Idaho State University.
“Ian’s passion for education comes out in the classroom,” said Matt Edwards, an English teacher at Mountain View High. “He’s not interested in the gist, or just enough to get by. He values the process of education.”
His political interest began freshman year as a student council representative, which led him to sophomore and junior class president. Ian has served in student government the past four years and this year is Mountain View’s student body vice president.
“I’m the student voice on campus and make sure all students are welcomed,” Ian said.
Mike Dawley, Ian’s history teacher, sparked the idea to work in government along with the Netflix show “House of Cards.”
“He is often a leader in class discussions and has strong opinions regarding history and government, but he never pushes those ideas onto others,” Dawley said. “Ian is very unselfish, no ego, and very caring about his classmates.”
When Ian isn’t attending Mountain View’s athletic events, planning dances or motivating students to get involved, he runs on the track and cross country teams. He is a member of the National Honors Society and West Ada’s Superintendent’s Advisory Council. He also is an avid skier at Bogus Basin or Tamarack.
“I want to know everyone on campus and by doing so I get involved of all aspects at school,” Ian said.
FUN FACTS ABOUT IAN MUIR
- Favorite drink? Lemonade
- Favorite sport to watch? I go to all of Mountain View’s football games and know most of the boys on the team (state champs).
- What are the first three songs on your current music playlist? “Baby Blue” by Action Bronson, “One Man Can Change the World” by Big Sean and “Backroad Song” by Granger Smith
- You just got a free plane ticket to go anywhere. Where are you going? New Zealand
- Three things you can’t live without? Skiing, Netflix and my friends
- Favorite emoji:
