Not to be confused with the other Tyler Myers, who transferred to Sheridan High School last year, the original Tyler Myers can be identified by his dark brown head of curls, as he walks to and from his challenging classes throughout the school day. In the last two school years, he’s taken AP Psychology, AP Government, AP Chemistry, AP Calculus, and AP Statistics on top of all the other classes he is required to take. When talking about his coursework, Myers says, “I like excellence. It might hurt me when I overload myself, but that happens.” Myers has also been involved in a variety of clubs, such as National Honor Society and the Academic Challenge Team, and has been class representative for the senior class as well as a Lincoln-Douglas debater in Speech and Debate.

Even though Myers has already been accepted to four colleges, the South Dakota School of Mines holds his main interest. Like most seniors, he’s not exactly sure what he wants to be, but he knows it has to be related to chemistry. “I really like chemistry,” Myers says on the subject. “I think that’s my thing.” Whether he tries for a doctor or a pharmacist (like his mother), Myers is sure to achieve his goals, based on his current track record of nearly perfect grades.

Wherever he goes, Myers wants to stay connected to his roots. When he was a kid, he went on a trip to Seattle with his family, and he describes his time there as fun but intimidating. Looking behind his back was a common thing for him as he walked down the street because he feared the stereotypes of criminal activity that come with big city life. It was far too populated for his liking, and it consisted of “a lot of pollution and garbage.” Myers’ plan is to come back home when he’s finished college because, as he says, “I really like Sheridan for what it is.”  Sheridan is home to camping, fishing, hiking, and hunting – just some of Myers’ outdoor hobbies. Also, unlike Seattle and other big cities, Sheridan has a small population, making it a “tight-knit community,” which is perfect for Myers’ people-loving personality. Just as well, Myers is very family-oriented and wants to stay close with his family far beyond high school and college, explaining, “My family’s very influential in my life.”

In his life, Myers has had many people help him get to the position he is in now. His mother, in particular, has played a huge role in his life, and he looks up to her more than any other person. “I think she’s really important because she embodies what I want to do,” he says of his mother. “I want to overcome obstacles like she has.” Myers explains that his mother came from a poor family, so she’s never had an easy life and has had to work for everything that she has. In the midst of all that, she has stayed grounded, as Myers says, “She’s a very generous person; she likes to help others, and she likes to give people her time.” He respects her in that way and hopes to be the kind of person she is one day.

At school, Myers talks about quite a few teachers that he trusts, and can go to, whenever he needs help with a certain situation, including Ms. Crowe, Ms. Bell, and Mrs. Knutson. He describes them all as being easy to talk to, just like a counselor would be, saying, “They all have their different impacts on my life.”

It’s clear that Myers values his time with his teachers in a way that some students don’t. Crowe isn’t quite sure though: “I don’t know if it’s me or if it’s math because he’s so good, and he just likes it.” Either way, Myers loves school and loves his teachers. Describing his time in class, Crowe says, “He’s the Energizer Bunny; he just does not stop.”

Outside of school, Myers has a strong desire for community service and enjoys being involved in Sheridan’s events as much as he can, due to his affinity for the town. “I like to help others. I do some community service, and I think helping the community is a really important aspect of life in general,” Myers says in regards to his hobby. He tries to seize any opportunity he can to be involved, and National Honor Society helps him with that. Myers’ services range from ringing bells for the Salvation Army to playing games with senior citizens at Heritage Towers. Reflecting on his past experiences, he says, “Small acts don’t seem significant, but they can pay off and they can change people’s lives.”

Myers’ love for being involved will stay with him as he advances through life. Through acts such as donating to local charities, he hopes to stay involved in his community.  He plans on using his potential degree in chemistry to continue his passion as well: “The money doesn’t matter as long as I could help people…and get my student loans paid off.”

Talking about the future, Myers is confident that he will be fine. The scariest parts of growing up for him are the necessities, like paying bills and doing taxes. He is sure, though, that his family and the high school have prepared him enough for the real world. As of now, Myers believes he is doing exactly what he needs to do to succeed. If there is anything Myers could’ve changed in his four years of high school, he says he would have “tried more clubs and more sports.”

He defines success as, “When on a personal level you accomplish personal inner goals – you’re happy with what you’re doing, and you’re doing what you want to do.” He is certainly living up to his definition.

Myers is the son of Patti Myers.