Parkersburg South senior balances challenging classes with music and college goals

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - A demanding course load, marching band and competition choirs keep Parkersburg South High School senior Kaden Frum busy. But he still makes time for music, weightlifting and planning for a future in engineering.

Frum said he earned all A’s during the first nine weeks of the school year, with a weighted 4.57 GPA. His schedule includes a two-period calculus block, dual-credit classes and an online Advanced Placement chemistry course.

“My grades are very important because especially this year, I’m a senior, I have to make sure that my college applications look very good,” Frum said.

He said studying is also important to understanding what he’s learning. His junior year, he said, brought some of the most challenging math and science classes he had taken and helped prepare him for an even busier senior year.

Frum has applied to several colleges but hasn’t decided where he will attend. He’s considering studying chemical engineering, nuclear engineering or both, depending on the opportunities available at the school he chooses.

“My plan would be to probably work at a plant, probably a nuclear power plant,” he said, adding that he would like to help make a plant better.

Math and science are among his favorite subjects, but his interests extend beyond the classroom. Frum participates in marching band and competition choirs, is a member of the National Honor Society and French Honor Society, and takes piano lessons. He also enjoys weightlifting.

“You have to have an outlet of something for creativity, for expression, for just getting your energy out or getting more energy from after being drained at school all day,” he said.

When he has free time, Frum enjoys spending it with his family and pets: seven cats and a dog. He also said he’s trying to read more.

Frum credits his parents with supporting him and allowing him to prioritize his academics and schedule.

“They support me very well,” he said. “If I have to do something, they pretty much will just do whatever they can to have me do it.”

Even with his strong grades, Frum sees room for improvement. He said he sometimes gets distracted by his phone while doing schoolwork and wants to do a better job staying focused.

Editor’s note: The video for this story will be added once it airs. Please check back for the updated video.