Thomas Hoover

Thomas is a student in the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University. He is studying Data Science in the College of Informations Sciences and Technology. He is an Outdoor Recreation Leader for Penn State Outdoor Adventures and leads rafting, caving, hiking and fly fishing trips. He was a finalist in the Nittany AI Challenge, is a member of Chi Phi Fraternity and enjoys intramural sports, Navigator Bible studies, grilling (which he attributes to his time at Heritage through Mr. Faulkner) and all things Penn State football.

At Pace Academy Thomas was on the Football, Baseball and Mountain Biking teams. He was also selected for Orchestra Pit for Theater productions. He won the Global Leader Award and served as a Student Support Leader. Thomas was also a finalist in the Social Entrepreneurship Competition.

Relationships at Heritage cannot be beat. Each of the teachers cares about each student. They care not only that the students succeed at Heritage but that they succeed in life. Classes build relationships with teachers that can last far past graduation. I’m still in touch with my Heritage Middle School teachers.

Heritage also builds friendships like no other school can. Even though it has been many years, my best friends remain my Heritage friends. I have friends from my high school but my friendships from Heritage are so sharp from iron sharpening iron, they cannot be broken.

My education here was full of thought provoking debates and analysis. We would have debates in logic class on almost anything whether it was predestination and free will, or who would get the top locker. In English class we would analyze classic novels in fun and creative ways. I still remember making a video of a scene from the Hobbit and sharing it with the class.

Sports at Heritage were also a huge part of my development. I was on a football team in high school where they eventually won the state championship and I played high school baseball for four years. Nothing has compared to the camaraderie, sportsmanship, character and just good fun I had playing Heritage basketball.