Former-Parent Liaison for Ridgeline Maria Hunsaker, who first met Lucien through the school’s Diversity Club, described him as “genuinely just the nicest kid,” “naturally outgoing and highly driven and motivated.”

When Hunsaker’s life necessitated her stepping away from the club, Lucien stepped in to keep the club alive.

Admittedly, Hunsaker wondered whether or not Lucien would truly take over the club, despite him being adamant to continue it.

“He honestly took on that club so well,” Hunsaker said.

Citing recruiting other students to the club, ensuring communication between club-members, sacrificing time and even taking money out of his own pocket, Hunsaker said, “He really is a kid who shows and demonstrates that he cares about not just his friends, but the entire school.”

Lucien’s determination and outgoing-nature, repeatedly noted by his parents and Hunsaker, has led to his involvement in many activities. Ranging from an internship in dentistry to a recent promotion to a scheduling and hiring manager at McDonald’s, Lucien doesn’t entirely know how he balances everything, but he knows Hunsaker has certainly played a role.

“I didn’t really, actually become close with her until junior year really,” Lucien said. “And junior year she helped me a lot with — just advice for getting through school, my busy schedule with my job and school. It was just really nice to have someone to go talk to.”

Lucien’s mother, Jennifer Yatco-Parker, said while she always held him to a high standard, she never really had to work very hard to get him to achieve it.

“I’ve always had a standard for him and he’s always exceeded it,” Yatco-Parker said with a smile. “I never really had to work that hard — he’s just had it.”

“I’m incredibly proud of him, not just in his academic-performance, but in the young man he has become,” she later added.

Lucien’s father, Mark, agreed, saying he has always been a good kid, even when he was a baby.

“He’s a good kid; he’s always been a good kid,” Mark said. “Even when he was a baby — always happy, smiling, playing… happy with what he has, never asks for much.”

Also a member of Ridgeline’s Riverhawk Academy, a program meant to strengthen relationships between upper and lowerclassmen, Lucien wishes he would’ve had the academy when he was a freshman.

While he had his immediate friend group at his side as he entered high school, Lucien said going into high school was a little scary and he didn’t really branch out to other classes of students until he became an upperclassman.

“I see a lot of my freshmen around the hall and they always say ‘Hi,’” Lucien said. “I like the fact that they are comfortable enough to do that, so I know they are comfortable enough to do that with the other seniors and juniors and sophomores.”

Lucien even picked up pottery in high school, supplying his family with soup bowls which are seemingly always dirty, due to their high usage.

“He did pottery for a couple terms and made us a bunch of soup bowls that we just love,” Lucien’s step-father, Brent Parker said. “We always are eating out of them.”

“Yeah, always,” Lucien chipped in. “They are always dirty, until they are washed. Then they’re dirty again.”

Equipped with cooking skills passed down from his mother, Lucien plans to attend Utah State University and eventually the University of Utah’s Dental School.

“There’s going to be ugly-mom, proud-mom bawling when he walks the stage,” Yatco-Parker said with a smile. “He is everything to me.”

“He’s always been funny, happy, respectful and caring for other people, so that’s pretty much what I’m grateful for,” Mark said.

Lucien also participates in student government, participates in other clubs, has a passion for fashion, has received many scholarships for college and is an animal-lover.