Standout Student: Josiah Tusler, Osseo Sr. High School
If you’ve ever walked the halls of Osseo Senior High School, chances are you probably know or heard of Josiah Tusler. The 12th grader is known to be one of the “nicest kids on the block.” Not only can he fit in with any social group, but you’ll never catch him idling his time away.
“One of the things people like to pull interest towards is my GPA. It’s weighted at 4.032. I’ve taken a total of seven AP classes,” Tusler said. “I’m also the captain of the football and tennis teams and I’m the National Honor Society (NHS) president.”
On his free time Tusler crafts electronic music online and draws cartoons. But with all the accomplishments he has on display, the greatest accomplishment of all would be his character.
“In sports, for example, one of the things I try to emphasize is that you don’t have to be the star athlete. You can still lead through work ethic and lead by example,” he said.
Josiah Tusler
A Genuine Humble Leader
Megan Thompson, Josiah’s social studies teacher and NHS advisor, describes her student as incredibly bright but also socially aware and friendly.
“He does a great job of including other students in the classroom discussions,” said Thompson. “Even though, in many circumstances, he was leaps and mounds beyond their comprehension level, maybe, he still didn’t make them feel like they couldn’t contribute.”
Thompson added that Josiah never makes his peers feel invaluable, whether it’s a freshman on the football team, a new member on NHS or a classmate.
“He’s this genuine, humble leader who serves as a great role model in everybody’s lives,” the social studies teacher said.
Josiah’s love for his community also shines through his involvement in school. Every month, during the NHS meeting, Josiah starts the meeting with a fun fact or history of Osseo.
“It’s not just school spirit, it’s a community. There’s been this community support and care for Osseo. The school is almost 100 years now. It’s about uplifting and supporting the community,” he said.
Josiah Tusler on the football team
The Key to Academic Excellence
Time management and critical thinking are key to Josiah’s success. Instead of looking at homework as just another pile of assignments, the 12th grader said he sees it as an opportunity to fully dive in and understand the concept.
“I like engaging with teachers. School to me isn’t about necessarily memorizing or learning facts, but it’s about adapting and taking your knowledge that you learned from the class and applying it to real world problems,” he explained.
Josiah also has natural organization skills. The senior lays out his schedule for the next couple of days, always planning ahead so that each subject gets a chunk of time.
College and Beyond
Josiah hopes to one day have a career in physics, specifically nuclear engineering. His top colleges include Purdue University in Indiana and the University of Northwestern in St. Paul.
While the senior can’t wait to spread his wings in college, he admits the hybrid model this year has given him much more confidence.
“With the hybrid model, one of the benefits of it is, it’s like you still have the high school structure, but you still get your college independence. When we’re learning from home, you get to work on things on your own schedule and manage your time,” Josiah explained.
Teachers say they’ll miss Josiah and they know he’ll be an asset wherever he goes.
“He’s always had time management skills; he needs to trust himself. I hope he’ll have fun once in a while but also balance his work, keep priorities in order to the way he shows he already can. He’s already so independent and mature that it’ll make the transition easy,” said Thompson.
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Osseo Senior High School
