If one thing is true about senior Thielsen Wardlow, it is this: He is always at work, either operating a power tool, creating digital models or planning out his latest project. From fabricating robot parts to fixing up a 2003 Mazda and building sets for the school musical, Wardlow’s passion for engineering has led him to take on a variety of unique activities and tasks.
Wardlow first discovered his love of engineering as a student at Cascade Middle School, where he was a member of their FIRST Tech Challenge robotics team. His participation in the program was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, but he was already hooked.
When Wardlow arrived at Summit as a freshman, he was quick to join the school’s award-winning FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team, Chaos Theory. He spent his first year working primarily on the mechanical aspects of the robot, utilizing Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and construction skills to model and assemble parts.
The next year, Wardlow was promoted to the position of CAD Lead, in which he oversaw the process of three dimensional modeling and taught new members the skills necessary to design the robot. He also took on extra work in other branches of the team, spending long evenings engineering the robot’s mechanical and electrical systems. His effort paid off, earning him an individual semifinalist award in the Pacific Northwest FRC district, and he was named the next Team Lead at the close of the 2023 season.
In this role, Wardlow shifted his focus from the minutia of designing the robot to overseeing the entire process and making sure that the team stayed on track.
“Instead of any one part of the robot, I was looking after the upkeep of all of it coming together, as well as the team’s working as a whole,” said Wardlow.
Wardlow’s lasting impact on Chaos Theory is undeniable. Under Wardlow’s leadership, the team adopted a new system of organization and built their robot quicker than ever before, leaving time to perform additional diagnostic tests and ensure optimal performance. However, these incredible contributions cannot be accomplished without great inputs of time and effort, and after a year as Team Lead, Wardlow ultimately decided that he was unable to organize his entire life around robotics.
This year, Wardlow made the difficult decision to give up his involvement with Chaos Theory in pursuit of other interests. With his newfound freetime, he has taken the opportunity to tackle larger personal projects and assist with the set construction for Summit Theatre Company’s latest production, “Mean Girls.” Additionally, he has devoted more time to his family’s audio electronics company, Step Audio, where he assists his father and brother with the production of a variety of patented guitar pedals, all designed and built in Bend.
Wardlow has also been a regular visitor to Summit’s shop since his freshman year. He has completed all five classes in the Manufacturing Technology sequence and is currently enrolled in Building Construction.
“He just wants to learn everything all the time,” said Summit manufacturing and construction teacher Allen Erdahl.
However, Wardlow’s true contributions to the shop lie in his dedication to helping others both in and outside of class. According to Erdahl, he prioritizes assisting his classmates over getting his own work done, and regularly shoulders extra responsibilities to ensure that the shop runs smoothly. Whether it be providing guidance to his classmates, fixing machines or volunteering hours of his time to clean flooded drain grates in the shop classroom, Wardlow is always happy to help.
In addition, Erdahl noted his easy-going personality and ability to get along with his peers.
“I have a wide spectrum of students in these classes, academically and personality. We have a lot of diversity in those areas in here,” he said. “And [Wardlow] gets along with everybody.”
Outside of Summit, Wardlow is an outdoor enthusiast and, as in his other activities, has showcased a dedication to improving his surroundings and maintaining them for others to use and enjoy. Through Friends of the Central Cascade Wilderness and Save Our East Cascade Trails, two local nonprofit focused on trail maintenance and preservation, he has spent many long summer days working to ensure that Central Oregon’s premier hiking trails remain safe and accessible.
Next fall, Wardlow will apply his engineering expertise to achieve another goal: studying industrial engineering at the collegiate level. Having recently received an acceptance from Purdue University, one of the nation’s premier engineering schools, Wardlow is optimistic about his future and grateful for his many positive experiences at Summit.
“The knowledge and experience I have gained from robotics is wonderfully helpful and has taught me a great deal about everything from bolt strength to programming limits to communication,” said Wardlow. “If I could do it all over again, I’d be in robotics every time.”
From Chaos Theory to Summit Theatre Company and the woodshop to the trails of the Cascades, Wardlow’s personality and diverse skillset have left a mark on many. As he moves on to the next chapter of his already impressive life, his presence will be missed by all those whose lives he has touched. Wardlow has already changed his community for the better, and there is no doubt that, whether he chooses to attend Purdue or go elsewhere, his impacts will be just as great, if not greater.
