Big city dreams loom for Loomis
By Emilee Mae Struss
Isaac Loomis, a senior at Wood River High School, is receiving many congratulations around school lately. He got accepted to Columbia University in New York City. His hard work, both in academics and school involvement, has paid off.
Loomis has a 4.28 GPA and the most Advanced Placement courses taken out of anyone in his entire senior class. This semester Loomis is enrolled in A.P. Calculus BC, A.P. English Literature, A.P. Comparative Government, A.P. Music Theory, and A.P. Government and War in the Modern World.
He is also involved in several WRHS clubs, such as Model UN—a club that models diplomatic disputes, and Business Professionals of America, which teaches students how to operate and manage different parts of a business.
Loomis is also a performer; he plays the drums and sings. He is involved in Jazz Band; Drumline; the B-Tones, an all-male choral group; Jenny and the Bets, a smaller jazz group; and is a part of a local band called “Tea in a Coffee Mug.”
His time, he confides, is spread thin. Loomis stays active with diverse sports, such as basketball, lacrosse, swimming and track. For his senior year, Loomis scaled back on sports to just basketball and track in a conscious effort to make more room for what’s really important to him.
“This year, I decided to focus more on my relationships with friends and family,” Loomis said. “I realized what I really like about being in school is being a part of the community.”
Even in his work life as a swim coach and front desk manager for the Blaine County Aquatic Center in Hailey, Loomis says it’s all about community for him.
“I love that job because it allows me to talk to people in the community I may not otherwise converse with,” Loomis said. “I get to greet the families and engage with the kids. And then I might see them around town and ask how the family is doing and it makes me feel like I’m contributing to a part of the community.”
Loomis is also an Every Teen has a Choice intern for The Advocates. The ETC interns visit schools in the area and give talks about what a healthy relationship looks like.
Loomis has his roots dug deep down in the Wood River Valley’s rich community soil. He says this place has provided him with more opportunities than he could ever have asked for. And next year he is going to the ‘Big City’ for, as Loomis says, “opportunities on steroids.”
At Columbia University, Loomis plans to major in economics or government and then attend law school. His ultimate dream is to become a lawyer in New York City.
“I like the law because, unlike politics, where there are strong opinions, it’s the nonpartisan way of getting involved,” Loomis said. “The law is very concrete.”
He plans to attend a lot of musicals on Broadway, immerse himself in a different community with a greater diversity of culture, and be open to new opportunities that may present themselves.
Loomis has a long list of teachers who have helped him grow as a student and mature as an individual thinker.
“There are so many teachers,” Loomis said, “who have helped me along in my journey.”
As for his character, he says no doubt his mother and father have inspired him.
“My mom and dad have been huge influences on my character and how I see the world,” Loomis said.
Loomis also says that his brother, Asher Loomis, has taught him how navigate the social world, and he hopes that his little sister, Charlie Loomis, is able to learn from parts of what make him who he is.
“I’ve loved growing up here,” Loomis said. “Somewhere else I might not have as many opportunities to do all the things I want to do because there’s more competition, but here there are so many things to try and be a part of.”
Editor’s Note: Anyone who would like to recommend a Blaine County School District student for The Weekly Sun’s “Student Spotlight” feature should contact Emilee Struss at emilee.struss@gmail.com.