Seth Rutt Seizes Each Day
Deidra Bowling-Meade
The Ashland Beacon
Blazer High School senior Seth Rutt is ready to seize the day! You might often see this 6’ 4” young man with his unique artistic style exploring the streets of Ashland wearing his vintage suits, personally designed t-shirts and capturing art through drawing and photography.
Seth is the son of Leon and Melissa Rutt. At Blazer High School, Seth is Historian and Treasurer of the Chess Club, member of French Club and Yearbook.
Above all, he is a proud Ashland native. Seth commented on how much Ashland means to him, “I think many people who view Ashland on the inside don't see much. There’s so much going on and richness when walking the streets. I enjoy finding new corners, galleries and personally going to all the local shops to see all their amazing stuff.”
Living in this small town has given Seth an interesting perspective, which has shaped his motto for life. Seth stated, “Never spend your time wishing you were somewhere you're not. Instead work toward where you could be.” We each have a purpose and a plan for our life; we are placed where we should be to fulfill that purpose. Seth lives each day working toward his personal goals and using them as inspiration for how he lives each day. He shared his personal philosophies on life, how he has grown over his years in high school and his future plans.
When it comes to his sense of style, Seth remarked, “I think the term ‘Dress to Impress’ sometimes gets miscommunicated as impressing others, but I think it also should be taken as impressing yourself. So, if I dress to impress myself or feel confident, I feel like you can seize the day better.”
Seth’s “seize the day” mentality was inspired by the movie Dead Poets Society, which is one of his favorites. Seth will be the first to tell someone he has grown stronger over his four years in high school. Seth battled and continues to face anxiety and depression. Seth finds that journaling, drawing and photography offer him an escape. He independently learned to enjoy these things.
Seth commented, “Mental health is a big component of my life, and I think it's a big component of many people's lives. I think we should more openly express ourselves with one another and always have a line of open communication with someone. My mental health is really planning a day for myself, which can include whatever makes you happy. It's supposed to help you recharge, in a sense. Art and photography have always been a part of my life since I was a child. As a little kid, I would take photos because I wanted to capture moments that otherwise couldn't be captured. I love taking photos or drawing pictures of flowers personally, because to me, those express people changing swiftly into one next stage of their life. I focus deeply on art and photography now in order to get my emotions expressed properly.”
Seth credits two Blazer High School educators for helping him better express his emotions. He considers art teacher Dr. Amber Tackett and English teacher Mrs. Tessa Spaulding as his role models. Seth stated, “Through Dr. Tackett’s help with photography, I'm able to fully express my full range of emotions. Dr. Tackett has helped me fully just go into the future prepared. In the writing aspect, Mrs. Spaulding has helped me a lot. She's helped me emotionally through everything to stay stable and with this transition of going from high school to college.”
Reality is now setting in for Seth as he makes the transition from high school to college; he is more prepared to face the future. Seth said, “I'm less scared, but it’s going to be a challenge tackling the unknown. I plan on getting a pocket calendar so that way I can start writing down my daily plans. I want to spend less time on my phone and deeper and dedicated time to study.”
Seth plans to attend Ashland Community and Technical College for his general education requirements and then transfer over to the University of Kentucky for electrical engineering.
Ashland should be on the lookout for this great talent. Educator Tessa Spaulding described Seth and his future the best,
“Seth has always been very driven, but seeing him pursue internships and jobs that interest him has shown me just how passionate he can be. He's learned to use his charisma to make connections with people with similar interests and gain knowledge of opportunities that will benefit him. He's so excited to start college in the fall. I think every day he's looked at me with this face of pure joy and disbelief that he is graduating and finally starting on his own adventure. I'm eager to see him succeed and achieve great things.”
Congratulations Seth Rutt as you start the next chapter of your journey. We look forward to hearing of all your future success. Carpe Diem–Seize the Day!