When asked what makes a person successful, he said, 'Basically, if they enjoy what they're doing in 10 to 15 years and accomplish most of their goals.'
Kuhns, the son of Rex and Bonnie Kuhns of New Florence, excels in the classroom. The 17-year-old senior at Ligonier Valley High School is ranked third in his class. He has represented his school as a member of the Chemistry Olympics team two years in a row and was awarded the Bausch & Lomb Science Award last year.
At the Chemistry Olympics last year, the teams were asked to make three different plastics and then compare their properties. 'Science and math just come naturally to me,' he said.
Kuhns is a member of the National Honor Society. He also is the treasurer of the National Art Honor Society at his school. For the art society, Kuhns had to do a community service art project. For this project, he painted a mural of the school's mascot, Mountie the Mountain Man, on the field house by the football field.
Through his involvement in National Honor Society, Kuhns has helped with a highway cleanup and plans to volunteer his time to an upcoming food-pantry project. He also has volunteered his time as a peer tutor, through which he helped another student with Algebra II.
After school, Kuhns can often be found riding his mountain bike on trails near his home, pedaling in solo journeys that can last a couple of hours. He also likes to in-line skate on Rollerblades with friends. Two years ago, he was a member of the Laurel Valley roller-hockey team.
Kuhns has maintained perfect attendance at school for the past three years and hopes his record will still be flawless this year in order to earn a $500 scholarship for perfect attendance.
While many of his classmates are still undecided about their plans after graduation, Kuhns has decided to attend Freed-Hardeman Christian College in Henderson, Tenn., where he will pursue a degree in computer science. He chose that major after taking a computer course offered at his high school.
'(Studying computers) is a good career path,' he said.
He's been on the campus several times to visit his brother, who is currently a student at the relatively small college.
'I don't really want a larger school,' said Kuhns, who plans to pursue a minor or double-major in Bible.
In mid-September, not long after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Kuhns was scheduled to give a short sermon at his church, the Ligonier Church of Christ. He brought world affairs into his sermon. 'I had already thought about talking about being ready to meet God, about how no one is expecting death and being prepared to meet God,' he said.
