100-year-old tea served in 100 year old teacups. Pictures covering the walls of great great uncles and great great aunts. A family’s history all known and ready to be shared over a cup of tea. Michael Wymer’s commitment and interest in history is ingrained within every aspect of his life.

When a child is asked “what do you want to be when you grow up?” your average kid wouldn’t dream of quiet calmness and shelving books. Wymer certainly wasn’t an average kid, and  though he’s moved from dreams of the library to dreams of museums, he is still the same inquisitive and curious mind he’s always been.

Wymer’s had an interesting perspective since he was young, but he wasn’t always the self assured person he is today. His confidence grew as he began to participate in different activities. 

“As a freshman I was really lacking any kind of self confidence or drive to be seen, but that didn’t last long as I started participating in things that would force me to direct and to build up my own character,” said Wymer via email. 

Though participating in clubs and activities helped grow his confidence, he warns against joining a club for the wrong reasons. “Don’t join a club because you think it will look good on college apps. Join it when you are interested and love what they are doing,” he said. Wymer is on leadership for three different clubs at Shorewood: DECA, Lifesavers, and theater.

One of the activities he participated in is tech work in the theater. “In a normal year you would most likely find me backstage in the theater on any given day,” he said. As a tech head for drama productions, he helped direct different elements of a show backstage. 

Beyond Shorewood theater productions, Wymer also helped run various events held in the theater. Whether he was moving set pieces or working the sound board, he has been a vital part of Shorewood’s theater running smoothly. To Wymer, the work he did backstage was not only a fun activity, but something to be treated with respect. “It’s an environment where you need to be focused and to trust those around you just like any job in the real world.”

Though he has treated the theater as a job, it isn’t the path he wants to pursue. “My goal is to work in some capacity with historical artifacts or antiques, and whether that is in a museum, or a dig site, or a conservators lab is no matter,” he said. His interest in history extends beyond a hobby and possible career. Wymer’s home is filled with family antiques. 

But Wymer’s hobbies are not limited to what can be found in a book or behind a curtain. Outside of school you may find him wandering the paths of local parks for hours, pointing out different plants and admiring the local flora or hosting a game of D&D in his backyard.

He is a perfectly unique person and he urges those around him to be their unique selves too. “Do what you love, dress how you want, and embrace your mistakes,” he said.

Having participated actively in so much at Shorewood and beyond it, Wymer had some words of wisdom to his peers: “There is much more importance to passion and drive than talent or success.”