Ryan Schiller:

The ability to lead and to follow are two of the attributes of this week’s Valley Sun All-Star, Ryan Schiller, a student at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic School.

Schiller, 13, was nominated for the honor by his teacher at the school, Barbara Kuhl.

Kuhl, who teaches eighth-grade and is the vice principal at St. Bede, said Schiller is an outstanding young man and good student.

“He blows you away. He’s a very articulate young man, with a beautiful voice and he’s very interesting also,” she said.

At the school, Schiller serves as a sacristan and arrives early every Tuesday morning to set up for mass. He’s also on the student council and is an altar server. He plays flag football at the school, and enjoys playing catcher in baseball.

Music also is a passion for Schiller, who sings in the school choir, as well as in the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus. Earlier this year, he traveled to China on tour with the chorus and has recently been cast as one of the genies in Los Angeles Opera’s “Die Zauberflöte,” the German opera, which translates to “The Magic Flute.”

Schiller is the son of John and Carin Schiller. He was born in Verdugo Hills Hospital and lived in Pasadena until the family moved to La Cañada when he was 3 years old. He has one sister, Kate, 11, a sixth grader at St. Bede.

The siblings are friends and, Kate said, he often helps her with homework. Kate said Ryan is a great brother and his most outstanding attribute is that he’s so hardworking.

Schiller’s Boy Scout Master Gordon Wulke, of Troop No. 502, also lists “hardworking” as one of the young man’s many qualities.

Wulke said he has known Schiller since the youth was a Cub Scout. Schiller is now a Life Scout, which is the highest rank before becoming an Eagle Scout.

“Ryan is a very responsible young man; I can always depend on him to follow through,” Wulke said, adding that whenever Schiller is in a leadership role with the troop, the other scouts respect him and know he’s someone they can count upon.

“He also has a good sense of humor and he’s fun to be around. I certainly think highly of him,” Wulke added.

Schiller said he loves being involved with scouting because it has allowed him to go camping, backpacking, and sailing, some of the activities he truly enjoys.

He also enjoys spending time with his friends and family and he enjoys school, especially math. When he grows up, he plans to be a doctor, like his grandfather, Dr. Frank Schiller, who is retired from his private practice but volunteers three days a week at the University of Southern California’s county hospital.

“My grandpa really inspired me,” Ryan Schiller said. “I think [medicine] is really interesting and I want to be a doctor because of my grandpa and all he does for people.”

IF YOU’D LIKE TO NOMINATE an exceptional young person who lives in La Cañada or is a student here to be a Valley Sun All Star, please e-mail us at lnews@valleysun.net.