A crop of teenagers were awarded as the “Extraordinary Teens of 2018” by Arlington Magazine earlier this summer, with four of the 10 teenagers recognized coming from the local area.

Craig Fischer – George Mason High School Class of 2018 – Fischer intends to become a commercial airline pilot within the next decade and has already taken steps to achieve that goal. He’s earned his pilot’s license after spending the last 18 months flying and taking classes. He’s even covered aviation events as a volunteer writer and photographer for AirlineGeeks.com, including a recent trip to Doha, Qatar and runs an Instagram account dedicated to plane-spotting (@dc.aviation). Fischer has his future lined up well. When he’s not flying his Cessna out of Leesburg Executive Airport, he’s hitting the books, as he graduated from Mason with enough college credits to begin as a sophomore at Emery-Riddle Aeronautical University this fall.

Zachary Niess – Yorktown High School Class of 2018 – While originally in love with skateboarding, Niess changed his tune upon discovering the jazz trombonists of the early 20th century. From there, the accolades stacked up: two years in the All-Virginia Jazz Band, a 2018 National YoungArts Foundation Merit Winner and even playing at the 2018 Grammy’s after parties. Before heading off to the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music on a full scholarship this fall, he first participated in a two week performing tour of Japan.

Sam Gollob – McLean High School Class of 2018 – A young renaissance man, Gollob does it all: two hours of swim practice daily, four AP classes, a writer for his school magazine and was student government president his senior year, where he spearheaded new initiatives such as a school-supplies drive for students affected by Hurricane Harvey and a student walkout in honor of the Parkland, Florida school shooting. He even made it to the finals of USA Swimming’s Junior Nationals competition in the 50 and 100 meter breaststroke. Gollob will attend – and swim – at Williams College in the fall.

Rosie Coolidge – Bishop O’Connell High School Class of 2018 – This self-taught guitarist has made waves with her music. With her work on Spotify and iTunes as well as being chosen as the first student leader of the music ministry at O’Connell, Coolidge sees her music as a spiritual bridge to her father, a fellow musician who died of a brain tumor when she was two years old. Outside of her gift in music, she’s a member of the National Honor Society, captain of the volleyball team and helped organize personalized pillowcase donations to an orphanage in Zambia. She will attend Belmont University this fall.

For the full list of teenagers and expanded blurbs on the local teens, visit arlingtonmagazine.com

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