Theo Shields took an irregular path to his graduation from Thurston High School, but his academic achievements led to him becoming the first Springfield finalist in years for the prestigious U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.
Born in England, Shields’ family came to the U.S. when he was a toddler. His father is from England and his mom is from the U.S., having grown up in California. The family moved to Springfield and his mom worked for Lane Community College teaching English as a second language.
“It was pretty apparent at a young age that we were academically advanced, like I could read before I could talk,” Shields, now 17, said. “I read Harry Potter when I was 5. My mom says it was 4. I think it was 5.”…