By Mark Schmerling

After Tanner Garrett made an unsuccessful run for class president at Polk County High School as a freshman, he said he didn’t think he would have an interest in running for office again. But Garrett did not give up on himself or his fellow students.

 

So, over his high school years, he became better acquainted with his approximately 670 high school peers. And he tried running for school-wide office again as a senior.

“I felt like I was well-suited to be student body president. I knew a lot of the students. Getting to know students was one of my big things. The more people I knew here, the more I could help. That was my goal, unifying the school,” he said, which is not an easy task, with differences between the various students and their age groups.

 

When one becomes PCHS student body president, he or she also becomes president of the Blue Crew, the student-run pep group that supports various sports teams. They can be seen vividly and heard easily in their enthusiastic support for the school’s teams.

 

“It’s a good way to meet people,” Garrett said of his Blue Crew involvement. “It’s good to have that support.”

 

Among his duties are organizing pep rallies and other events. One of those, a dodge ball tournament will raise money to help fight leukemia. Another fundraiser, through the Blue Crew, sold shirts at school, at football games, and at a football pep rally. This project has raised money for breast cancer awareness.

 

Garrett, who possessed no agricultural background, is also vice president of Polk’s Future Farmers of America program. He took an agriculture class “and immediately got hooked.”

 

If he seems to handle a great deal at once, it’s no accident. He sees opportunities, not limits. It’s also excellent preparation for life after high school.

 

Of his experience, Garrett said, “I think it’s prepared me for having more than one thing on my plate at the same time. Time management has been a huge thing.”

 

And he should know, as he is a member of the track and golf teams, both of which compete in the spring. He had also played basketball and football for the Wolverines.

 

Garrett traces much of his success to the support given to him by his parents, Rodney Garrett and Cindy Dusembury.

 

“They definitely pushed me,” he said proudly. “They let me know when they’re proud of me, and they let me know when I could be pushing harder.”

 

While “seniors are pretty easy to deal with,” said Garrett, he’s found that students who interact with those in different grades benefit greatly from doing so.

 

“Intermingling helps everyone,” he asserted. “Blue Crew activities help. If you can get almost 700 students involved in something, that means a lot to all the classes.”

 

On the other hand, Garrett feels that those not involved in athletics or other activities where they interact with students of other ages are “staying in a safe zone.”

“You have to go past what you think your limits are,” he said. “I like pushing those limits. I’d like to be that rock to lean on. That’s where I get satisfaction, like when I introduce people to new things, and get involved.”

 

While he’d like to become involved as much as he can when he goes to college, he said he’ll be content initially to “test the water” at the University of South Carolina, where he has already been accepted. Both his parents attended USC.

 

At PCHS, Garrett has also received the Best All Around Award, voted on by seniors, who select one male student and one female student.