ARLINGTON — A 16-year-old home-school senior from Arlington, Ian Frye, has secured a $14,000 Mind and Heart Scholarship at Whitworth University which is renewable for four years.

“He received a letter in November from Whitworth University awarding him “Early Action” admission with honors into the freshman class for the fall semester of 2009,” said his father, Tim Frye.

Ian said he decided five years ago that he wants to be a veterinarian, so he will take pre-vet classes at Whitworth. He knew he wanted to do something in the medical field (his father is a paramedic) and he chose veterinary because he feels comfortable with animals.

The young man is preparing himself for his future by volunteering at Sarvey Wildlife Center for almost two years already. He has enjoyed working with an injured cougar, bobcats, a golden eagle and pigmy owls.

“I will need biology and chemistry and will do business management as a minor. I have to start planning now because it’s very difficult to get into veterinary programs,” Ian Frye said. He acknowledges he may have to be flexible and consider other options, since his school of choice, Washington State University, accepts only 10 percent of its applicants to that program.

“Other schools that have veterinary programs include University of California at Davis, Portland State and Colorado,” he said.

Along with preparing to take his SAT exam, Ian is also busy “beefing up” his resume.

“I’m pretty good at taking tests because I like facts,” he said.

The home-school student studies with his younger sister every day until 2 p.m., he said. He said his sister is more of an abstract thinker than he is.

“I think in black and white,” he said.

Just recently, he started working a “real job” at the Gap. Ian is also active at his church and involved with the teen advisory group at the Marysville Library.

“We plan events to get more teens to use the library,” he said, adding he likes spending time at the library and is quite physically active as well, playing soccer with Marysville’s recreational league. He also plays ultimate frisbee.

“I read a lot,” he said. He likes reading science fiction novels, Tom Clancy and biographies. One of his favorites is Clancy’s “Hunt for Red October.”

The teen librarian at the Marysville Library, Laura Tillman said that Ian has been a member of the teen advisory group since it started and volunteers to help, too.

“Ian is always very helpful at the Monday afternoon gaming programs,” she said. “He always stays late to help clean up and put away the equipment.”

At his church, Grace Bible Church, Ian helped organize the grill at last summer’s barbecue where they raised $10,000 as part of the World’s For Sale garage sale to support the church’s mission to Berlin.

“We had heaps of stuff. It’s good practice to develop my organizational skills,” Ian said.

In January Ian will compete in the Faculty Scholarship Competition Program with the opportunity to receive a four-year, full-tuition Faculty Scholarship.

“Out of 300 students, six will get the free ride,” he said.

His mother, a retired Seattle police officer, said Ian’s success is amazing.

“I have to admit, it is confirmation that we are doing the right things,” she said.

“The state requires that homeschoolers get tested annually and our kids have always gotten the highest score possible,” she said.

The Frye family has been living in the Sisco Heights area for 12 years.

“The letter also notified him of his membership in the Laureate Honors Society,” Tim Frye said.