Salute to the Class of 2012: Shorecrest’s Skylar Shibayama

Shoreline native Skylar Shibayama has spent his days as Shorecrest High School as a scholar, leader, athlete, debater and is headed to Yale this fall after he graduates from Shorecrest on Sunday, June 17 at Comcast Arena in Everett.

Shibayama attended Shoreline schools since kindergarten including Ridgecrest and North City elementary schools, Kellogg Middle School and finally Shorecrest, where he served as Associated Student Body President as a senior.

As student body president he helped produce a time capsule for the school’s 50th anniversary and the party for the school and community. He also competed in the Mr. Shorecrest pageant, which he called, “a blast.”

Shibayama, who calls himself a “competitive guy,” played doubles on the Shorecrest boys tennis team, and pitched and played infield for the Scots baseball squad.

He hit a walk-off, two-run double against crosstown rival Shorewood this past season.

“Beating Shorewood (in baseball) this year was really fun,” he said.“I play a lot of baseball. It’s my favorite thing to do.”

This summer, Shibayama will play baseball for the Seattle Titans coached by DeWayne Dalton.

He was on the debate team for four years and he and partner Scott Huston placed at state as freshmen. He also served on the Site Council for the planning of the remodeled Shorecrest High School that is currently under construction.

An academic standout, Shibayama was named a National Merit Scholar for scoring 227 on the PSAT. He was a member of the math team at Shorecrest and his academic record and involvement in Shorecrest activities helped him get into Yale.

“I wasn’t planning to go to the East Coast or Ivy League,” he said. “I applied on a whim. I visited during spring break.  When I got (in) I was surprised.”

He said he was “really surprised” by the laid back feel at Yale.

“The people were unique, exciting and fun. It’s a strong academic school but relaxed,” he said based on his visit.

Career-wise, “I definitely don’t know what I want to do,” he said. “I like math a lot I might be doing something with that in beginning, but I have no major picked out.”

His parents are Gerry and Jenny Shibayama of Shoreline and he has a younger brother Kasey, who will be an eighth-grader at Kellogg.