By Tom Rohrer
Eric Sundberg is the exception. Most high school students are not always thankful for a busy schedule filled with a wide variety of activities. But for Sundberg, a busy schedule is key.
“I’m a very lucky individual to have the chance to be involved in all of these activities,” said Sundberg. “I know there are a lot of families out there that can’t support involvement in this many programs, so I’m very thankful.”
In that case, the River Ridge High School senior has a lot to appreciate. He is a member of the school’s math club, marching band, Taiko drumming ensemble, and the boys golf and swim teams.
As a sophomore Sundberg also took a 5.0 credit pre-calculus course offered through University of Washington, and is currently taking a Spanish 4 class through UW as well.
An Eagle Scout, Sundberg is the current Senior Patrol Leader for Boy Scout Troop 222 and plans on obtaining all three “Eagle Palms” before attending college next fall.
Sundberg was able to benefit his Taiko band club through his Eagle Scout project as he installed shelving and restored deteriorated pieces of wall within the club’s closet in the River Ridge Band Room.
“I purchased a lot of the materials, but I also went to hardware stores and received some donations,” said Sundberg, who estimates he was helped by 12 other Boy Scouts from his troop and between four and six adults. “It took about two days, and it was roughly eight hours of work per day. It was something that needed to be done, and I think it will be a big help now and in the future.”
Involvement in Boy Scouts has been a positive experience for Sundberg.
“It’s been fun and what I enjoy most is how much it’s taught me about growing up,” said Sundberg, who traveled to Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia this past July for the 2013 National Scout Jamboree. “I can see a lot of kids who would’ve benefitted from Boy Scouts.”
The responsibility and discipline he has learned, in part from Boy Scouts, has carried over into Sundberg’s passion for music.
Taiko Drums are a traditional Japanese instrument that uses different animal skins as drum covers to create a wide variety of sounds. The River Ridge High School group plays in around 20 shows in the community throughout the year, and Sundberg has noticed his participation within the club has carry over benefits into his role as a percussionist for the RRHS marching band.
“It helps with memorization and just playing in front of a crowd,” said Sundberg, who has traveled to the Ocean Shores Spring Parade and played at the Pacific Northwest Mushroom Festival with the ensemble. “It’s fun because we get to play in front of a wide variety of crowds. We’ll play wherever the community wants us to.”
Much like his participation in Boy Scouts, Sundberg is aware of the benefits stemming from involvement in music.
“(Music) definitely has been beneficial to me and weirdly enough, I was listening to the radio this morning, and I heard about a new study that links music studies and leadership,” said Sundberg. “The study said learning music was like being able to see the present as well as the future and I would agree with that based off my experience.”
Growing up, Sundberg moved around the country since his father, Mark, was a member of the United States Army. After being born in Texas, and moving to several locations across the country, the Sundberg family settled in Lacey in the middle of the last decade.
“I was quite younger at a time so moving didn’t really teach me anything,” said Sundberg, whose father retired a few years ago. “I know that it was challenging to move to a new school every year and I’m glad I’ve been in the same high school for four years.”
The River Ridge community likely feels the same. Sundberg has made his impact felt in both athletic and scholastic competitions to go along with his other contributions to the school.
For four years, Sundberg has been a member of the River Ridge High School math club and has been one of the top performers for the school’s math team.
In two of those four years, through local, state and regional competitions within the Washington State Math Association, Sundberg has qualified for the national finals, though he did not end up making the journey.
For those unfamiliar with math competitions, Sundberg efficiently summarizes the makeup.
“There are four tests. Two of the tests are with teammates and two are done individually. In the first team test there are ten challenging questions, and you can work with a team of between three to six people,” said Sundberg. “The second test is a 30-question individual test. You lose a point for a wrong answer and gain four points for each right answer. After that test, we have a test called relay, where each member of the team answers a question and that answer is used in the next problem on the relay. The last test is individual.”
While Sundberg enjoys competition, he prefers it in athletics as opposed to math.
“I’m a relaxed guy,” said Sundberg, a member of his church’s youth group. “The competition, it’s there somewhere in me, but I feel it in a laid back way. It’s interesting how it works.”
Last winter, Sundberg was a state participant for the River Ridge boys swim team, as he competed in the 500 meter freestyle and 200 meter individual medley at the 2A state meet at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
Sundberg finished 20th and 21st respectively within in the state in the two races, a respectable follow up of his second place finish in the 500 meter freestyle at the 2A District 4 championships.
“It was a cool experience. The King County Aquatic Center is a great facility,” said Sundberg, who plans on lifeguarding at Joint Base Lewis McCord as a summer job in 2014. “I’m hoping to get back to the state meet again.”
On the links, Sundberg estimated he shoots an average of 56 per nine-hole competitions, though he noted he has the ability to shoot below on a good day.
Playing the two contrasting sports is an enjoyable experience for Sundberg.
“I really enjoy the relaxed, laid-back atmosphere of golf. It’s competitive but not competitive,” said Sundberg. “In swim team, I sweat buckets and I look at it as the fun team. Golf is the relaxed team.”
For all high school seniors, the fall of their final prep year is nothing but relaxing. This is normally the application period for college, and a time when important decisions are made for the future. Luckily for Sundberg, he has his decision narrowed to two schools.
“I’m looking at two colleges – Pacific Lutheran University and the University of Puget Sound,” said Sundberg. “They’re close by, small and certainly not giant schools and they have majors I’m interested in. I’ll probably be somewhere between computer sciences and engineering.”
His terrific qualifications for school were not entirely engineered individually. Along with his parents Susan and Mark, and older brother Ryan (a junior at PLU), Sundberg credits some instructors for his development.
“My scoutmaster, Mr. Panish, is of the best scoutmasters our troop has had, and that’s saying a lot. He’s just helped so much and committed a lot to the Boy Scout program,” noted Sundberg. “I’ve spent the most time with Mr. John Theine, the River Ridge band director, and he understands high school teenagers. He pushes us but not unreasonably. He knows our limits as much as his.”
With so many activities, it should be no surprise that Sundberg can’t remember every specific memory from high school.
“It’s funny because you have these memories and as soon as you’re asked a question, you can’t give an answer,” said Sundberg when asked to highlight a special experience from high school. “I know I have them and I know I will make more.”
