POULSBO — Even with rigorous academics and Division 1 athletics filling the schedule of Cornell University freshman and Poulsbo native Kolby Hoover, don’t expect the North Kitsap High School graduate to slow down during his holidays in Poulsbo.

Hoover’s first college winter break will be spent with family as well as enjoying two of his hobbies: playing the bass guitar and flying model airplanes — activities that have been difficult to fit into his daily college life of track practice and ivy league academics.

“School is really hard — it’s so focused,” Hoover said. “I want to relax for awhile. I haven’t even been that homesick — because I don’t have time to be.”

Rest is something Hoover has certainly earned. The freshman recently received a combined scholarship worth $11,000 through the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA).

“I found out about the scholarship right before I went to school,” Hoover said. “It was great (to receive) because I wanted to help my parents out.”

His list of accomplishments as rationale for the scholarship, featured in RC Modeler Magazine, is lengthy: first in his NKHS class of 485 academically, Evergreen Boys’ state participant, student of the year for 1999-2000 and many more fill the text of the article.

But qualifying for the scholarship comes from his passion for flying model planes.

A member of the AMA and Kitsap’s local flying club ORCA (Olympic Radio Control Association), he primarily flies “GutterSnipe” models, made from PVC pipe with foam insulation.

“They’re very cheap to build,” Hoover said. “So if you crash them, it’s no big deal.”

Hoover said he plans visit Port Gamble on New Year’s Day for a race with the ORCA club. A race, he said, consists about four poles, two on each side, about 50 meters apart. Participants’ aircraft take off and fly through both ends of poles 10 times before a winner is determined.

“It’s basically a crapshoot,” he said. “You win pretty much by the roll of the dice most times.”

Since Hoover won the AMA scholarship, he has received a few e-mails from professors and AMA club members in New York at both Cornell and Ithaca College asking him to join their respective clubs. He is also pondering a degree in aerospace engineering.

Whether it’s in on the track or in the air, he loves to fly. But the two activities have their differences.

“You want flying to be really relaxing and fun,” Hoover said. “I try to keep running like that but it’s hard. You need a much deeper focus.”

Hoover has much to decide once he returns to Cornell for his spring term. The freshman is pondering his major — either engineering or pre-med, or possibly both — while competing in the 400 hurdles and the 500 longsprints in track and field for the Big Red.

For now, he’ll be enjoying his rest in North Kitsap, spending time with friends and family. As well as flying on New Year’s, he’s also planning a reunion with his jazz band “4 Rent,” consisting of fellow NKHS graduates Joel Wallgren, Ryan Farncomb and Scott Carpenter sometime around the holiday. Hoover said the four-some is planning to play at Montclair Park in Poulsbo.

Hoover said he is excited about a return to college for spring but said he believes it is a bit ironic when he travels all the way to New York for schooling.

“It’s funny because I always thought I’d stay close to home in my family,” he said. “I ended up going the farthest away.”By JOSH FARLEY

Staff Writer

POULSBO — Even with rigorous academics and Division 1 athletics filling the schedule of Cornell University freshman and Poulsbo native Kolby Hoover, don’t expect the North Kitsap High School graduate to slow down during his holidays in Poulsbo.

Hoover’s first college winter break will be spent with family as well as enjoying two of his hobbies: playing the bass guitar and flying model airplanes — activities that have been difficult to fit into his daily college life of track practice and ivy league academics.

“School is really hard — it’s so focused,” Hoover said. “I want to relax for awhile. I haven’t even been that homesick — because I don’t have time to be.”

Rest is something Hoover has certainly earned. The freshman recently received a combined scholarship worth $11,000 through the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA).

“I found out about the scholarship right before I went to school,” Hoover said. “It was great (to receive) because I wanted to help my parents out.”

His list of accomplishments as rationale for the scholarship, featured in RC Modeler Magazine, is lengthy: first in his NKHS class of 485 academically, Evergreen Boys’ state participant, student of the year for 1999-2000 and many more fill the text of the article.

But qualifying for the scholarship comes from his passion for flying model planes.

A member of the AMA and Kitsap’s local flying club ORCA (Olympic Radio Control Association), he primarily flies “GutterSnipe” models, made from PVC pipe with foam insulation.

“They’re very cheap to build,” Hoover said. “So if you crash them, it’s no big deal.”

Hoover said he plans visit Port Gamble on New Year’s Day for a race with the ORCA club. A race, he said, consists about four poles, two on each side, about 50 meters apart. Participants’ aircraft take off and fly through both ends of poles 10 times before a winner is determined.

“It’s basically a crapshoot,” he said. “You win pretty much by the roll of the dice most times.”

Since Hoover won the AMA scholarship, he has received a few e-mails from professors and AMA club members in New York at both Cornell and Ithaca College asking him to join their respective clubs. He is also pondering a degree in aerospace engineering.

Whether it’s in on the track or in the air, he loves to fly. But the two activities have their differences.

“You want flying to be really relaxing and fun,” Hoover said. “I try to keep running like that but it’s hard. You need a much deeper focus.”

Hoover has much to decide once he returns to Cornell for his spring term. The freshman is pondering his major — either engineering or pre-med, or possibly both — while competing in the 400 hurdles and the 500 longsprints in track and field for the Big Red.

For now, he’ll be enjoying his rest in North Kitsap, spending time with friends and family. As well as flying on New Year’s, he’s also planning a reunion with his jazz band “4 Rent,” consisting of fellow NKHS graduates Joel Wallgren, Ryan Farncomb and Scott Carpenter sometime around the holiday. Hoover said the four-some is planning to play at Montclair Park in Poulsbo.

Hoover said he is excited about a return to college for spring but said he believes it is a bit ironic when he travels all the way to New York for schooling.

“It’s funny because I always thought I’d stay close to home in my family,” he said. “I ended up going the farthest away.”By JOSH FARLEY

Staff Writer

POULSBO — Even with rigorous academics and Division 1 athletics filling the schedule of Cornell University freshman and Poulsbo native Kolby Hoover, don’t expect the North Kitsap High School graduate to slow down during his holidays in Poulsbo.

Hoover’s first college winter break will be spent with family as well as enjoying two of his hobbies: playing the bass guitar and flying model airplanes — activities that have been difficult to fit into his daily college life of track practice and ivy league academics.

“School is really hard — it’s so focused,” Hoover said. “I want to relax for awhile. I haven’t even been that homesick — because I don’t have time to be.”

Rest is something Hoover has certainly earned. The freshman recently received a combined scholarship worth $11,000 through the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA).

“I found out about the scholarship right before I went to school,” Hoover said. “It was great (to receive) because I wanted to help my parents out.”

His list of accomplishments as rationale for the scholarship, featured in RC Modeler Magazine, is lengthy: first in his NKHS class of 485 academically, Evergreen Boys’ state participant, student of the year for 1999-2000 and many more fill the text of the article.

But qualifying for the scholarship comes from his passion for flying model planes.

A member of the AMA and Kitsap’s local flying club ORCA (Olympic Radio Control Association), he primarily flies “GutterSnipe” models, made from PVC pipe with foam insulation.

“They’re very cheap to build,” Hoover said. “So if you crash them, it’s no big deal.”

Hoover said he plans visit Port Gamble on New Year’s Day for a race with the ORCA club. A race, he said, consists about four poles, two on each side, about 50 meters apart. Participants’ aircraft take off and fly through both ends of poles 10 times before a winner is determined.

“It’s basically a crapshoot,” he said. “You win pretty much by the roll of the dice most times.”

Since Hoover won the AMA scholarship, he has received a few e-mails from professors and AMA club members in New York at both Cornell and Ithaca College asking him to join their respective clubs. He is also pondering a degree in aerospace engineering.

Whether it’s in on the track or in the air, he loves to fly. But the two activities have their differences.

“You want flying to be really relaxing and fun,” Hoover said. “I try to keep running like that but it’s hard. You need a much deeper focus.”

Hoover has much to decide once he returns to Cornell for his spring term. The freshman is pondering his major — either engineering or pre-med, or possibly both — while competing in the 400 hurdles and the 500 longsprints in track and field for the Big Red.

For now, he’ll be enjoying his rest in North Kitsap, spending time with friends and family. As well as flying on New Year’s, he’s also planning a reunion with his jazz band “4 Rent,” consisting of fellow NKHS graduates Joel Wallgren, Ryan Farncomb and Scott Carpenter sometime around the holiday. Hoover said the four-some is planning to play at Montclair Park in Poulsbo.

Hoover said he is excited about a return to college for spring but said he believes it is a bit ironic when he travels all the way to New York for schooling.

“It’s funny because I always thought I’d stay close to home in my family,” he said. “I ended up going the farthest away.”By JOSH FARLEY

Staff Writer

POULSBO — Even with rigorous academics and Division 1 athletics filling the schedule of Cornell University freshman and Poulsbo native Kolby Hoover, don’t expect the North Kitsap High School graduate to slow down during his holidays in Poulsbo.

Hoover’s first college winter break will be spent with family as well as enjoying two of his hobbies: playing the bass guitar and flying model airplanes — activities that have been difficult to fit into his daily college life of track practice and ivy league academics.

“School is really hard — it’s so focused,” Hoover said. “I want to relax for awhile. I haven’t even been that homesick — because I don’t have time to be.”

Rest is something Hoover has certainly earned. The freshman recently received a combined scholarship worth $11,000 through the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA).

“I found out about the scholarship right before I went to school,” Hoover said. “It was great (to receive) because I wanted to help my parents out.”

His list of accomplishments as rationale for the scholarship, featured in RC Modeler Magazine, is lengthy: first in his NKHS class of 485 academically, Evergreen Boys’ state participant, student of the year for 1999-2000 and many more fill the text of the article.

But qualifying for the scholarship comes from his passion for flying model planes.

A member of the AMA and Kitsap’s local flying club ORCA (Olympic Radio Control Association), he primarily flies “GutterSnipe” models, made from PVC pipe with foam insulation.

“They’re very cheap to build,” Hoover said. “So if you crash them, it’s no big deal.”

Hoover said he plans visit Port Gamble on New Year’s Day for a race with the ORCA club. A race, he said, consists about four poles, two on each side, about 50 meters apart. Participants’ aircraft take off and fly through both ends of poles 10 times before a winner is determined.

“It’s basically a crapshoot,” he said. “You win pretty much by the roll of the dice most times.”

Since Hoover won the AMA scholarship, he has received a few e-mails from professors and AMA club members in New York at both Cornell and Ithaca College asking him to join their respective clubs. He is also pondering a degree in aerospace engineering.

Whether it’s in on the track or in the air, he loves to fly. But the two activities have their differences.

“You want flying to be really relaxing and fun,” Hoover said. “I try to keep running like that but it’s hard. You need a much deeper focus.”

Hoover has much to decide once he returns to Cornell for his spring term. The freshman is pondering his major — either engineering or pre-med, or possibly both — while competing in the 400 hurdles and the 500 longsprints in track and field for the Big Red.

For now, he’ll be enjoying his rest in North Kitsap, spending time with friends and family. As well as flying on New Year’s, he’s also planning a reunion with his jazz band “4 Rent,” consisting of fellow NKHS graduates Joel Wallgren, Ryan Farncomb and Scott Carpenter sometime around the holiday. Hoover said the four-some is planning to play at Montclair Park in Poulsbo.

Hoover said he is excited about a return to college for spring but said he believes it is a bit ironic when he travels all the way to New York for schooling.

“It’s funny because I always thought I’d stay close to home in my family,” he said. “I ended up going the farthest away.”