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Community Corner

Passion for History Runs Deeper than Fun and Games

Whiz Kid Nick Wheeler says volunteering at the Elmhurst Historical Museum gives him a 'sense of community'

Name: Nick Wheeler

Age: 17

School: York Community High School

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Achievement: Heading into a busy senior year in high school, Nick Wheeler plans to continue regularly volunteering at the Elmhurst Historical Museum, where he says he’s found the perfect place to give back to his hometown. 

Key to Awesomeness: Looking for a place to earn service hours for Nation Honor Society led Nick Wheeler to the Elmhurst Historical Museum in April.

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“I’ve always had a passion for history, so I thought the Elmhurst Historical Museum would be the perfect place,” said Wheeler.

As a freshman, Wheeler earned his Eagle Scout Award through Boy Scout Troop 74, so he was no stranger to the concept of volunteering. His Eagle Scout project included landscaping a house for the Ray Graham Association. He is also a freshman mentor at York and serves as a communion assistant and usher at Messiah Lutheran Church.

But even after fulfilling his volunteering requirement for NHS, Wheeler felt compelled to stay on. From the second story in the Historical Museum’s current exhibit, “Toys in the Hood,” an interactive display of classic toys, Wheeler says he enjoys his job of helping set up and tear down exhibits and manage outdoor games for the museum’s special events for children. And soon, he’ll be trained to man the front desk, too.

“He’s a good kid,” says Nancy Himmes, who coordinates the volunteers at the museum. “He’s been really helpful with getting the exhibits put together. It can get to be a real mess up there sometimes, with all the toys and the kids,” she says.

“And,” she adds, “he’s very reliable, which is important to us.”

Once he begins his senior year in a few weeks, Wheeler has a busy year ahead of him playing for York’s basketball, soccer and tennis teams. But Wheeler will still be volunteering at the Historical Museum twice a month.

“It’ll keep me extremely busy, but I’ll just have to keep up on my time management,” he says.

While Wheeler is considering pursuing a degree in either medicine or law, he admits his love of history runs deep, and he sometimes thinks about becoming a history teacher.

“In the back of my mind, I love history so much,” he says. “And I think it’s important to know everything you can about your community.”

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