It should come as no surprise that Luke Olson, HRS class of 2009, made sports the focus of his professional life. Luke played on the golf team at Kennedy Catholic High School until he graduated in 2013 and then went on to play competitively at Green River College and Pacific University. Luke studied journalism and graduated from college in 2018. 

“Sports have always been a big part of my life, and I knew I wanted to work in sports. When I got to college, I was able to figure out that covering sports and writing about it was what I wanted to pursue.”

And he did just that. 

As sports editor for the Ellensburg Daily Record in Ellensburg, Washington, Luke has the opportunity to combine his journalism degree with his passion for sports. We caught up with Luke and asked him to share more about his journey from HRS to the Ellensburg Daily Record’s sports page.

Is there a particular teacher at HRS who impacted you?
The two teachers who impacted me the most were Ms. Monroe and Mr. Meints. Although I was only at HRS for two years (7th and 8th grade), I always enjoyed being around them!

When you think of HRS, what comes to mind?
When I think of HRS, I think of the positive environment. It was tough for me going from a public school to a small private school but the faculty and students made the transition seamless.

What have transitions been like for you and how did your time at HRS prepare you (HRS to high school, high school to college)?
HRS helped me navigate my learning struggles, which helped my transition into high school. It provided me self-esteem and confidence going into the next level of education. The Saint Teresa Program at Kennedy Catholic High School also played a big part in helping me overcome my learning challenges. The combination of HRS and the Saint Teresa Program made college a breeze.

What is one piece of advice you would share with others about dyslexia?
One piece of advice I would give is for students to know that having a learning disability doesn’t prevent you from doing what you want to do in life. There are ample success stories of others who have learning challenges. While learning can be a labyrinth and takes a little more effort, don’t let it get you down or stand in your way.

Tell me about your path after HRS:
After I graduated from high school in 2013, I enrolled at Green River College in Auburn, WA, where I earned my Associate of Arts (AA) while competing on the golf team. In 2016, I found a small private school in Forest Grove, OR (Pacific University), where I could study journalism and play two more years of collegiate golf. I graduated in May of 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts - Journalism.

What motivates you in daily life?
Lots of things motivate me - my fiancé, Willow, both our families and our two great dogs (a St. Bernese and English Bulldog)! I look forward to the future with excitement and knowing I can learn and improve in my career and craft, and all the possibilities that come with this.

What is one thing you do just because you love it?
I love golf! I played in high school and then had the opportunity to play in college. It’s such a frustrating game but always draws me back. I know I can learn a lot from the game. You have to be willing to put plenty of time into practice – and always remember with golf, patience is a virtue.

Highlight some of your most valued achievements:
Placing in the top ten in a couple of collegiate tournaments at Pacific University makes me proud – including a second-place finish my junior season. I’m a sportswriter now and I’ve had a couple of
runner up placements in the state for feature story awards, which are a nice accomplishment. I’ll continue to hone my writing and reporting skills, and maybe I’ll garner a first-place award next year! ●

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