Teak Barhaug grew up in Wyoming and moved to Seward a few years ago. He is a dedicated student and thrives in a learning environment. Over his past four years of high school, he has participated in many clubs, each helping determine his goals for the future. Teak mentioned, “I definitely recommend taking part in any clubs or sports you may be interested in” because he felt that engaging in hobbies really set him on the right path. Teak is a natural leader and enjoys taking on administrative roles; it was through this quality that he was elected president of Alaska FFA, and student council president. 

This senior has done sports in the past, such as skiing and track; although, this year he decided to shift his focus more toward the academic side of things. Although they proved difficult, Teak enjoyed taking many college courses over the past few years and recommends other students do the same. One of his favorite things about Seward High School is the amount of opportunity that comes with taking college classes. He mentioned how beneficial the KPC  Jump Start program was in helping him acquire college credits (30 total) while still in high school. 

Teak also occupied himself by studying Russian, an extremely complicated language for English speakers. Out of all the clubs, he has really enjoyed being a part of FFA specifically, which presented him with many travel opportunities. Last fall, Teak traveled with his team to Indiana for the 95th Annual National FFA convention; it was one of his favorite trips. His participation in FFA, 4H, and public speaking have helped prepare him for the future.

In the future, he plans to attend college at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he will major in biological sciences. If you know Teak, then you will understand his passion for both biology and ecology. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and caring for plants. He would like to continue living in Alaska as he appreciates the beautiful environment and doesn’t mind the cold climate. Career-wise, Teak would love to go into entrepreneurship or even open a greenhouse of his own. Teak will miss all of his friends at Seward High School but has lots to look forward to in the future.