By Elizabeth Wilkes
- Julian McIntyre
- The Lovett School, senior
On the weekends, Julian McIntyre loves to go fishing in the Chattahoochee River.
However, his interest in the environment is not merely recreational.
This year, Julian is building a structure on his deck at home to study aquaponics, the symbiotic cultivation of plants and aquatic animals. The sustainable system will allow him to monitor the growth of plants and fish and the quality of the water and he will present his findings in an educational video.
This project is just one of many of Julian’s independent studies on the environment.
On top of his endeavors at home, he will be managing an aquaculture, or fish cultivation, system at the marine biology lab at the Lovett School.
Last year, he and a friend tracked the local deer population by setting up cameras on trails around campus to record the creatures on film.
Jim Crowley, science teacher at Lovett, met Julian last year as his student in AP Environmental Science.
“Julian is a thinker and his questions reflect the depth of his thought process,” said Crowley. “He’s diligent … he has created his own opportunities to explore his passion.”
Although it was not required, he independently chose to take an Environmental Chemistry course over this past summer.
Julian’s hard work has paid off, as he is one of Lovett’s top students.
Yet, his diligence translates not just mentally, but physically too – in the form of kickboxing.
“I got into kickboxing two years ago, and I actually just trained this morning,” said Julian. He was first introduced to kickboxing by one of his family friends, a former MMA [mixed martial arts] fighter.
Julian has also been a member of the varsity wrestling team at Lovett since his sophomore year.
He said he competes because “it pushes you to improve yourself … it’s very physically and mentally tough,” which helps him apply focus to other aspects of life.
If you can’t find him enjoying the great outdoors or pushing his physical limits, you’ll probably find him participating in volunteer service.
Julian is an active member of his church, Northside United Methodist, and is continually involved in service projects in his community.
For the past two summers, he has been a leader of the Metro Atlanta Project (MAP), a ministry of his church which provides assistance to low-income families around Atlanta.
“This year, I led a group of around 25 teens and adults to build a playground for a day care,” said Julian. With his help, the MAP ministry was able to complete more than 10 different playgrounds at day care centers.
Julian seems to be an expert at construction as he now plans to be the Habitat for Humanity chair at his school for the upcoming year.
Additionally, Julian was elected a member of the Student Service Board, where he helps organize service projects and charity donation opportunities for fellow students.
What’s Next:
With hopes to pursue his passion for the outdoors, Julian would like to study an environmental-related major in college, perhaps in an engineering or pre-law program. Julian is considering numerous institutions, including Dartmouth, University of Virginia, Georgetown, and the University of North Carolina.