Hayden Walker is a driven and ambitious high school senior with a commitment to excellence in academics, music, and athletics. Throughout Hayden’s high school years, he has consistently demonstrated academic distinction, maintaining a stellar GPA while challenging himself with rigorous coursework in dual enrollment and advanced placement courses. Hayden is not your typical home school student, blending a mixture of learning environments that allowed him to pursue his academic interests independently as well as collaboratively. He is very involved in his community and a friend and leader to many. His effectiveness, kindness, and likeability set him apart in many endeavors as a natural leader. Hayden lives a life different from most American teenagers, living on a sheep farm in the mountains in the far northwestern corner of North Carolina. These mountains are the epicenter of traditional music, where he has learned a style of playing that has opened doors to a bright future for him while harkening back to the sounds that have echoed there for centuries.

Outside the classroom, Hayden is deeply involved in various extracurricular activities and volunteer initiatives. He is a talented multi-instrumentalist who plays and competes individually and with his band, Pickin’ Thistles. They have performed in numerous festivals and recorded broadcasts including: 

  • Merlefest

  • International Bluegrass Music Association World of Bluegrass

  • Appaloosa Festival

  • Boonerang Festival

  • Appalachian Theatre

  • Carolina Theatre

  • Grandfather Mountain Highland Games

  • Woodsong Kids

  • Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music

  • Charlotte Folk Society 

He has also won awards at numerous bluegrass competitions throughout the Southeast including the Appalachian State Fiddler’s Convention, Ashe County Fiddler’s Convention, Union Grove Old Time Fiddlers Convention, and more. Hayden also donates his time performing at nonprofit events, including the collaborative concert Music for the Mountains, with other musicians from the mountains of North Carolina to raise money for Hurricane Helene relief efforts in western North Carolina. Hayden works as a teacher and performer with the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program.

Hayden is also a natural athlete committed to personal excellence and vigor. His primary athletic love is alpine ski racing where he has excelled, winning the High Country Junior Race Series male division and having the fastest time on the mountain at all of his races. He has also excelled in regional USSA races winning top positions in both slalom and giant slalom races. He qualified for the 2023 and 2024 Eastern High School Championships. He trains yearly at Mount Hood and Copper Mountain. He has also given back to the sport, serving as a counselor at the Southeastern Alpine Race Camp in Mount Hood, Oregon. Additionally, he has challenged himself to be a well-rounded athlete by trying new sports and excelling at these on a varsity level in his first year of play as a member of the Watauga High School Varsity lacrosse, football, and cross country teams.

Beyond his academic and extracurricular pursuits, Hayden is known for his compassionate nature and commitment to helping others. He regularly volunteers at Saint Elizabeth of the Hill Country Catholic Church. He donates his musical talents to various charities. He lends a helping hand whenever asked to nonprofits such as the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, Thistle & Shamrock Heritage Association, Elk Knob State Park, and more.

Hayden is also an integral part of the Grandfather Mountain Highlanders Pipe and Drum Band, excelling as a Grade IV snare drummer. During Hayden’s time with the band, they won the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association Grade V Championship in both 2022 and 2023. He travels with the band, competing and performing at Highland games and community events throughout the Southeast.

In his free time, Hayden enjoys trail-building, hiking, and spending quality time with his friends and family. He works on the family sheep farm, Caledonia Farm, where he has learned valuable ranching skills, from delivering lambs to building pasture fences. Hayden is excited about the prospect of attending college and looks forward to pursuing his academic and musical interests while continuing to serve his community. With his strong work ethic, leadership abilities, and dedication to making a positive impact, Hayden is well-positioned to succeed academically and personally as he embarks on the next chapter of his educational journey.