Hingham Whiz Kid: Thomas Kylander

Name:    Thomas Kylander

Grade:   9

School:  Derby Academy

Key to Awesomeness: Connecting past, present and future

Accomplishments: 

It is hard to believe Thomas Kylander is just 15-years-old; yet easy to see how the recent graduate won two awards.

 He describes earning Derby’s History Award as something that comes naturally. “You have to really like it enough to take two hours to edit a history paper.”

Mrs. Butterworth, who taught both Kylander and his dad, selects the award recipient, which is given to honor love, enthusiasm, and in-depth knowledge of history.

 Independently reading about the Mesoamerican Mayan culture before Columbus and 1491, Kylander enjoys learning about people who created historical events.

 Historical events change viewpoints, which arouse his curiosity.

 “Events are not naturally there, they were created by people," he said. "When you look closer, you see what is going on. There is a reason for everything that happened in history; everyone played a part.”

 The teen credits Derby teachers for their part in his development.

 This collaborative viewpoint undoubtedly contributed to his winning Derby's Trustees Major Banner Spirit Award, which honors the athlete demonstrating best sportsmanship on and off the field.

  “Holding yourself to a high standard, showing sportsmanship; that is what you should do anyway,”  he said.

A soccer player, Kylander has a passion for sailing that was sparked at a young age on his family’s boat. This marks his first summer of intensive sailing.

 The 420 sailboat skipper spends hours each day at Hingham Yacht Club, racing and participating in regattas.

“Sports are about practicing and getting better,” he said. 

Focused on sailing better each time, making mistakes does not work him up. Combining history and sportsmanship lessons, Kylander said he “takes it as it comes to the best of his ability.”

 Kylander enters his freshman year at this fall.