This is the second in a series of profiles of graduating seniors at Mercer Island High School. Last week, two young women from the class were profiled.

Tyler Goolsby: a focused, independent thinker

English teacher Janet Sayers said that Mercer Island High School senior Tyler Goolsby is focused, conscientious, motivated, mature, benevolent and moral. It is high praise from a teacher known for her high expectations.

Goolsby, 18, was happy to land in her business law class his senior year, after having her for English his sophomore year. She is one of his favorite teachers.

“I love English, poetry and reading. Maybe teaching English to high school students would be really cool,” he said.

Goolsby moved to Mercer Island five years ago with his family, when his dad was transferred from New Jersey for his job.

Sayers said, as her teacher’s assistant last year, he interacted beautifully with students from diverse academic, social and ethnic backgrounds. Goolsby said most of his close friends have similar interests and are academically focused, but they also like to have fun.

“I try to be my own individual and form my own opinions,” Goolsby said. “I try to be free from peer pressure of what to do and how to perceive things.”

On the sports scene, Goolsby is on the cross country and track teams. The 400-meter, 800-meter and the mile are his best events.

The senior also has a soft spot for kids.

“There’s something innocent and pure about them,” he said.

He volunteers at PEAK, spending time with the little kids in the child care program. He is aware that he has a big influence on them, and the kids appreciate him.

Goolsby has one sister, Meghan, who will be a senior next year. With his 3.6 GPA, he’ll be off to Whitman College in Walla Walla, a liberal arts school, in the fall. He will most likely major in English, but, he said, his major could change.

His most memorable high school experience, he said, has been cross country this year, where the team placed seventh at state.

“That was a special time in my life, and I’ll look back on how much that meant to me,” he said.

Brad Morse gives to the community

Islander Brad Morse, 19, and has been educated in the Mercer Island School District from day one. Morse’s teacher, Susan Jobe, has been by his side throughout high school. He is one of 14 students in her self-contained special education program.

“Not only is Brad one of the kindest, gentlest, enthusiastic young men I’ve ever met,” Jobe said. “He has a rich history of service to the Mercer Island and greater Seattle communities.”

Morse has Down syndrome, but that doesn’t seem to stop him from moving full steam ahead. Jobe said he is learning job skills by volunteering at the Mercer Island Youth and Family Services Thrift Shop, hanging, sorting and pricing clothes.

Morse also volunteers at  Mercer Island School District preschools, assisting with snack prep.

“I read to the kids,” he said.

Morse was able to connect with a 4-year-old autistic boy at the preschool, when no one else seemed to be able to reach the boy. As a result, the boy has opened up and is making strides unanticipated by his teacher.

Morse has also worked at the Northwest Harvest Cherry Street Food Bank in Seattle, packaging and sorting food.

At school Morse has been the manager of the MIHS marching band since he was a freshman. He has taken yoga, ceramics, drama, choir and steel drums in addition to other curriculum.

“Our goal is to have Brad meet his goals after high school,” Jobe said. “Brad will graduate, then continue in the transition program at MIHS. He’ll be doing more community training off campus.”

Morse has three older brothers who graduated from MIHS and are grown, and a sister, Emily, who will be a junior next year.

This past weekend, he attended the senior prom with his girlfriend, Bethany, who he met on the Island, but has since moved to California. She flew up for the event, and he did the same for her prom.

Morse will proudly walk at commencement on June 9 with the rest of his class. And what was his favorite part of attending MIHS?

“I like having pasta on ‘pasta Wednesday,’” he said with a sly grin.

Andrew Rawson: an inspirational leader

Islander senior Andrew Rawson, 18, has wrestled at Mercer Island High School for all four years of his high school career, serving as captain of the team during his junior and senior years. He shrugs when asked if he’s a good wrestler.

“Our team is pretty good,” Rawson said. “But I’m focused on the leadership. It’s important to be a leader on and off the mat.”

Rawson’s coach, Creighton Laughary, said he was voted most inspirational twice by his teammates.

His family is very special to him. In fact, his younger sister, Sarah, has managed the wrestling team for the past two years — no sibling rivalry here.

“It works out fine; we get along,” the big brother said.

The close-knit family has had a few obstacles along the way. Rawson’s mother, Lori, was diagnosed with breast cancer right after he was in the fourth grade. He said he really doesn’t remember much, just that she was sick and lost her hair, and that it was confusing for him. But she survived and is cancer free. She has been a tireless worker behind the scenes in the high school’s wrestling program, Laughary said.

His parents split when he was in the sixth grade; then another blow was dealt with the death of his stepdad, who was married to his mother for only a short time.

“So, we have a special bond,” he said of his mother, Sarah, and youngest sister, Candace. “One of our values is to keep in touch with everybody and remain close.”

Besides being a mentor to his fellow wrestlers, he works at Au Courant as a salon attendant, cleaning up, stocking products or whatever is needed. At MIHS, as part of the retail marketing class, he is in charge of cookies for the second lunch, doing everything from baking to inventory.

Rawson and his family are moving to Castle Rock, Colo., in June. He plans to attend Colorado State University in the honors program in the fall — his GPA is 3.67. He’ll be about two and a half hours from Castle Rock, in Ft. Collins, close enough to keep the close family connection.

His plan is to study business, but he is also interested in psychology. He said he has always enjoyed business and was a part of Carol Wiseley’s international entrepreneurship class.

So what has he enjoyed most about his time at MIHS?

“I don’t think I could choose one thing, but sports in general has been great and the spirit of the school has been great,” he said. “The level of education was challenging, but worth it.”