SODUS, N.Y. (WHEC) — If you had to describe Sodus junior Noah Datthyn in a single word – you could say conqueror.

“Transitioning from homeschool to public school was a massive one. It was a huge culture shock,” said Datthyn. “Once we got to Sodus we kind of settled down and then I went to public school at the start of ninth grade.”

It was then that Noah fell in love with sports. He joined the track and cross country teams, and after getting through the adjustment to public school, he broke down some more barriers.

“I’ve always been having my eye on the next PR. All of last summer I was just training like, go sub-5:00 in the mile, go sub-5:00 in the mile. And then I did that and it was awesome, so now I’ve got my eyes on sub-4:30,” said Datthyn.

Datthyn says his love for running led to his decision to study neuroscience in college where Columbia University is his dream school and he relates it back to running.

“It reduces my stress. When I get out there every day, it relieves everything from the day. So it definitely helps and then relaxes me so when I get home I can just focus on my schoolwork and I’m relaxed,” said Datthyn.

And Datthyn doesn’t just talk about the benefits – he acts on it. He and a friend co-run the Feeding Futures Foundation, which aims to help food pantries in the Sodus community.

“I’ve gotten a lot of deliveries in to the food pantry here in Sodus. It’s going pretty good but I’m definitely trying to expand it and go across more towns,” said Datthyn.

ME: Whether it’s a beating a personal time, aiming to get into an Ivy League school, or helping others, Noah Datthyn is all about overcoming obstacles. No wonder he’s our Scholar Athlete of the Week.