by: Fuyu Banno
Graphics Editor

Multi-faceted individual Landon Cheng is thriving in his freshman year of high school as he shines on stage, in the water, and in his community.

Cheng’s current course load is more than enough to keep most people busy. He is enrolled in Biology Honors, Health & Fitness, Intro to Engineering, Spanish 2, Philharmonic Orchestra, Algebra 2 Accelerated, and English 9. Among all of his classes, Spanish 2 and Orchestra stand out as his favorites. He credits his enjoyment of Spanish to the prospect of one day speaking another language fluently. “I just like the opportunity to become bilingual because it’s pretty cool,” he explained.

Outside of newfound interests such as Spanish, the cello is a prominent part of Cheng’s life as he has been playing the instrument since he was in elementary school, six years and counting. Cheng sharpens his cello skills both in the school’s Philharmonic orchestra as well as in his private lessons. Many might recognize Cheng’s musical abilities through his contributions to this year’s spring musical production, Hadestown. As part of the pit orchestra, Cheng played for every single production for the entire duration of the play. Referring to the challenges and rewards of being part of the pit orchestra, Cheng shared, “ It’s hard work, but it’s fun trying to use cello in different ways, like interacting with the choir and the theater.” Through private lessons and musicals, Cheng has plans for the future to contribute his artistic talents to creating a wedding quartet and continuing to hone his skills.

Beyond music, Cheng also makes time to be an enthusiastic member of the JV swim team, competing in the 100-meter. He is also a member of the JV water polo team, adding yet another sport to his already packed schedule. When talking about swimming, the conversation does not stay on competing for long. His teammates are what he gravitates towards, as he put it, “I just love bonding with the team. And the meets are really fun. We get to cheer for each other.” For Cheng, that sense of community within the team is something he clearly values just as much as the sport itself.

Outside of his school commitments, the Boy Scouts have played a big role in shaping the person Cheng has become. He has taken on service projects through the program, including a ranch camp and a two-week backpacking trip through New Mexico planned for the summer. Those kinds of experiences are irreplaceable for Cheng as he explained, “It teaches you a lot of valuable leadership skills, because you can only learn so much from a textbook or online, but you really have to experience working with different people to gain those skills.”

Although still unsure what the future holds, through passion and hard work, Cheng will indeed leave a lasting impact during his time in high school.