By Emily Brooks
Staff Writer
“[I do] pretty much anything that needs to be done,” said Hunter Flaugher, Northwood’s own handy man. But Flaugher isn’t part of the staff, he is a student.
The senior does a lot of odd jobs around the school ranging from cutting grass to wiring speakers in the auditorium. He also does electrical work that many other teenagers are not able to do.
“I used to help my grandpa work; he was an alarm technician and an electrician. I would go to work with him and it just started coming to me,” said Flaugher.
When Flaugher isn’t in class, he is running around from classroom to classroom fixing things. Theatre teacher Lori Carlin has Flaugher as her student assistant during third period this semester.
“[I first met Hunter] his freshman year when he was in Tech Theatre I,” Carlin said. “It was my old classroom and I still remember exactly where he sat and I could not stand him, he drove me nuts. He was just so [distracted], so active all the time. Then I had him the next semester during Tech Theatre II, and I remember looking at the list and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t stand this kid.’ Well, I figured out if you put him to work, he’s amazing.”
Carlin reflected on a time when Flaugher built a lift at home for the spring musical Into the Woods. The lift raised the chair into the air to create a magical effect.
“Ever since then he has been my right hand,” said Carlin. “He’s made it possible for my program to advance; he has eliminated a tremendous amount of frustration. He has changed everything. He is just one of those once-in-a-lifetime students.”
Northwood Athletic Director Jason Amy can list many things Hunter has done for him, including placing speakers for the softball team, moving speakers, doing a lot of wiring, hooking up amplifiers in the gym, digging post holes for the area in front of the field house that was recently renovated and anything else that needs to be done.
“Anytime I need something done, [Flaugher] usually volunteers and helps out,” said Amy.
Leah Smith, director of the dance department, sees a lot of Flaugher as he helps out with dance performances.
“He’s got a talent that not a lot of people have where he can just look at a technical or electrical problem and know how to solve it, and that’s not something that is easily learned or can easily be taught; you just kind of have to know how to do it, and he just gets it, his brain works that way,” said Smith.
Apart from the work he does at school, Flaugher also has a business called “HF Services” where he does construction, grading and tractor work.
As far as Flaugher’s plans for the future go, he is unsure if he wants to continue working with mechanics.
“I just want to make a lot of money doing something,” Flaugher said with a smile.
His teachers certainly see that potential.
“I believe that Hunter will be a great asset to many companies in the future,” said Smith. “We’re going to fail him so we can keep him here with us.”
Carlin agreed that Hunter will go far in life with whatever he does.
“He is going to buy me a red, Audi Spyder one day; we already have that agreement. He’s going to be a great success,” said Carlin. “He is just a good person.”
