Motivation is defined as the condition of being eager to act or work, but others may define it as senior Chris Armstrong. Armstrong keeps himself busy with high school, college and the workforce.
“School has always been easy for me,” Armstrong said.
He found his junior year most challenging while taking three Advanced Placement classes, including AP United States History, taught by history teacher Debbie Brown.
“The quality I like most about Chris isn’t how hard he works, because many students work hard, but I like his strong desire for knowledge,” Brown said.
When Armstrong cannot be found as a student on the Marshfield campus, he is a full time student at Southwestern Oregon Community College. Armstrong’s college schedule includes second year German, Calculus, Writing 121 and Indo (rock climbing). He has maintained an overall 3.85 high school GPA and a 3.75 college GPA.
Along with attending school, Armstrong has been involved in National Honor Society and pep and marching band, being the drum major in both. This year, Armstrong is also a contestant in the Mr. MHS pageant, tutors college students in calculus, and works 20 to 30 hours per week at the Sizzler restaurant.
“The band has been my family since I joined,” Armstrong said.
Another member of the band family is one of Armstrong’s best friends, senior Christian Chase.
“Chris is very caring and is known for being an extremely smart guy,” Chase said. “He is my best friend and he has always been there for me.”
Armstrong spends most of his time with the band or at work. Working while in school was not encouraged by Armstrong’s parents, Monte and Laurie Armstrong, as Chris felt they wanted education to be “his job.”
“Chris’s best achievement has been all the things that he has done because of his love of music,” Laurie said. “Being a member of the Band of Pirates has given him many ways to shine.”
Chris relies on his income to pay for auto insurance, gas, repairs and payments on his car.
“Chris is a friendly and likeable young man with goals and aspirations that will take him far,” Monte said.
Chris met the source of his inspiration to work hard, Carlee Brink, a MHS 2013 graduate, in 2010 through band. She was in drum line and he was in the low brass section.
“He would casually joke and talk with me during passing periods,” Brink said. “We became friends pretty quickly.”
After dating for a year, Chris proposed to Brink at the beach last December.
Chris and Brink will move to California while Chris attends California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo to major in aerospace engineering.
“I want to have a good life,” Chris said. “Which means working hard early in life.”
