In a world where screens are the primary source of entertainment for most highschoolers, some seek out other forms of entertainment.

Revere High School (RHS) senior Carl Selig entertains himself through his love for rock climbing, animals, and exploring the world. These passions not only mold his hobbies but influence his perspective on life, pushing him toward unique experiences and encouraging a deep connection with nature.

Bouldering is a form of rock climbing done professionally all over the world. It requires precise strategy and grip strength. It was featured for the first time in the Paris Olympics this year.

“I enjoy bouldering. Bouldering is basically rock climbing without a rope, but it doesn’t go as high as rope climbing would. Bouldering only goes up about 20 feet max, and you fall down onto mats that are padded, so it doesn’t hurt you,” Selig said.

Selig’s introduction to climbing began when he was a child, accompanying his father, Michael Selig on climbs. He describes the experience and why it was good ground work for his climbing now.

“I started with my dad when I was actually like 9 or 10, just joining him here and there, but it helped develop the early age strength in my fingers. Then I stopped for like 5 years, and when I was 15, I picked it back up seriously, and started bouldering a lot, and I got really strong fast,” Selig said.

As Selig progressed in his climbing journey, he began competing, training four days a week and steadily improving his abilities. He describes the difficulty grades of the climbs he completed.

“I started climbing competitively at the beginning of my junior year. I trained four days a week, and I started at V4, V5, and now I climb a V8,” Selig said.

V4, V5, and V8 are different difficulties of rock climbing. The higher the number, the harder the climb. V8 climbs are considered very advanced and require a lot of strength and planning. Selig’s father, Michael Selig, proudly reflects on his son’s growth as a climber.

“It was cool to see Carl progress just given that I climb still and getting to watch him really get better than me at bouldering. It was really cool to see him grow as my son and as a climber. To me and I think even to Carl, it showed that when you put a ton of effort and training into something you really can improve,” Michael said.

While climbing is a significant part of Carl’s life, he is also passionate about animals and the outdoors. Carl’s best friend of 12 years, Sam Albert, has witnessed Carl’s passion for animals throughout their friendship.

“Carl’s passion for animals is not just a fun hobby but a core part of himself. His dad is the head vet at the Cleveland Zoo, and has definitely influenced Carl’s interests from a young age. Every square inch of Carl’s house has a variety of animals from horses to hissing cockroaches,” Albert said.

Carl and his dad take care of many animals inside of and outside of their home in Richfield, Ohio. Carl described all the animals he and his family care for.

“Inside, we have probably 60-plus animals. We have two dogs and two cats. We have six lizards/geckos and we have 48 to 50 turtles. We have one crocodilian species. We have one frog, one salamander. We also have six snakes—outside we have two horses, a pony, 13 chickens, two ducks, and two turkeys,” Carl said.

Michael also played a role in nurturing his passion, being a leading advocate for turtle conservation over the years, often taking Carl along on his trips.

“Because I like animals, I always expose Carl to animals. So he was always really interested in animals very early on from snakes and frogs. What I thought was going to be just kind of a standard passion just became almost borderline obsessive,” Michael said.

Carl’s love for animals is not just about observing them; he seeks them out, capturing them to admire them before letting them go.

“My love for animals comes from my dad. I’ve loved animals for literally as long as I can remember, and I think more importantly, I love catching animals. So I love them, but I love catching them more,” Carl said.

Albert has accompanied Carl on many of these adventures and has many stories of Carl’s pursuit of wildlife.

“Carl treats anywhere he goes as a place to catch animals. He never stops flipping rocks and logs in search of snakes, and he will climb a tree if he sees a lizard on it,” Albert said.

This need for adventure has led Carl on many journeys all over the world, including a trip to Kenya.

“I would say my favorite thing was when we were in Kenya. We stopped at a Maasai village, and I danced with the Maasai people, and they gave me a sacred cloak that you wear over yourself. I got to keep that, and that’s my favorite thing,” Carl said.

Carl has not only been to Kenya, he has also visited places like Vietnam and Costa Rica. Michael uses these trips to expose Carl to potential career paths around animals and to expose him to cultures different from what he is used to.

“I wanted to expose him to some of the career paths that are available to individuals that are interested in animals. I think it was just a good world experience as well to kind of get an understanding of what different cultures and communities have and don’t have compared to how he’s growing up,” Michael said.

As Carl contemplates his future, his passion for animals continues to guide his decisions. With Carl being a senior however, a decision must be made fast.

“I do (want to work with animals). Recently I’ve actually been in a struggle deciding if I want to go to college to crunch numbers. Or if I want to go and do something I’m more passionate about. I think I’ve been leaning towards passion,” Carl said.

Carl’s life is a display of his adventurous drive, his love for animals, and his dedication to his passions. Whether bouldering or catching snakes, Carl’s journey is shown by his will to explore the world around him.

This story was originally published on Lantern on October 23, 2024.