Parker Hamilton

First runner-up male Scholar-Athlete
Parker Hamilton
Teays Valley
Grade-point avg.: 5.17
$6,500
Encova Insurance

Sports played: Soccer (4 years), swimming (4), track (1)

Academic highlights: National Merit Finalist; National Honor Society member; scored 35 on ACT

Athletic highlights: Three-time first-team all-league in soccer; four-time all-league in swimming

College choice: Harvard (anticipated major: economics, pre-med path)

Photo location: On the soccer field at Teays Valley

Home front: I live with my parents, Michelle and Jeremy Hamilton, and my three siblings, Peyton (21), Presley (13) and Lewey (11).

Favorite subject: Science, specifically anatomy. I think the human body is fascinating and I like seeing the impact it can have on my sports. I also hope to be a surgeon one day.

Least-favorite subject: English. While I like to read, I dislike searching for the deeper meanings hidden in classic novels.

Prized possession: I do not have one but the most important thing to me is my family because they are always there to support me.

Favorite book: The series “A Song of Fire and Ice,” which includes “Game of Thrones,” by George R.R. Martin, has a lot of characters and storylines that are expertly woven together.

Favorite movie: It’s hard for me to pick one, but I enjoy watching anything that has Will Ferrell in it.

Favorite television show: “The Simpsons.” I think Homer is hilarious and I enjoy seeing the evolution of the show.

Favorite musician: Tiësto, because his songs have really good beats and he works with a lot of different artists.

Essential apps: Spotify. Whether I am exercising, driving or working, I like to have music playing. I like choosing what I want to hear wherever I am.

Favorite home-cooked meal: I really like it when my dad grills hamburgers. He always cooks them just right and makes plenty of extra toppings so I can put whatever I want on my burger.

My cooking specialty: I like to make lo mein and General Tso’s chicken but am really not much of a chef.

Favorite restaurant: Penn Station. I love their chicken teriyaki sub with onions and mushrooms.

Guilty pleasure: I love to eat Graeter’s Buckeye Blitz ice cream. I usually end up eating more than I should.

Proudest sports moment: I broke our school record in the 100 butterfly at the district swim meet during my freshman year. It was my brother’s record but he was happy for me.

Sport I’d like to try someday: Water polo complements swimming well. I have played it for fun but have never had the opportunity to compete on a team.

Story behind my uniform number: In high school, my dad’s number was always 34 and my mom’s was 31. I took the 1 from my mom and the 4 from my dad which became 14, the number I have had since I was 8.

Favorite athlete: My older brother, Peyton, is a collegiate swimmer who inspired me to take up the sport and always pushed me to do my best.

Inspiration: My mom sacrifices so much for our family. She home-schools my two younger siblings and is the primary caretaker for my two grandparents with cancer.

Dream job: Orthopedic surgeon, because I would have the opportunity to help people while fulfilling my desire to have a job in the medical field.

Place I’d like to travel: I have always wanted to go to Australia. I think it would be cool to see the wildlife and all of the natural and man-made landmarks.

Something most people don’t know about me: A lot of people think I am very serious but once you get to know me, I actually have a good sense of humor.

Least-favorite household chore: Unloading the dishwasher. It is not time-consuming but usually interrupts whatever I am doing.

Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I have a really bad habit of not putting my laundry away. I let it pile up on my bedroom desk and forget about it.

Words to leave by: “Work hard in silence, let success be your noise.” — Frank Ocean

By Ray Stein
rstein@dispatch.com