Best Friends Score Big in ACT Exams and Much More

DE SOTO, Kan. — College-bound high school students all over America are getting ready to take the scary SAT exam this Saturday and the equally fearsome ACT test the weekend after.  A rare few will get perfect scores on one or the other, just like this week’s Reaching 4 Excellence Young Achievers did.

And all the more remarkable, they are from the same relatively small metro area high school where they have amassed mountains of accomplishments together.

As Philip Kaul wailed on the sax, Parker Riley sat nearby burning up the keyboard during a morning rehearsal of De Soto High School’s fine jazz band.  They don’t look anything alike and yet a lot of people at school and in the community can’t seem to keep them straight.

“It’s very odd,” says Parker.  “Actually people sometimes get our names confused.”

It could have something to do with the fact that their first names start with the same letter but more likely it’s because where you see one you almost always see the other.

“People think we are a matched set,” says Philip.  “He’s like my twin brother.  Everywhere we go, same thing.”

Philip and Parker have been best friends since they were toddlers and their dads have been best friends since they were kids.

“I think the activities they do together really serve as a catalyst for their relationship,” says Emma Willis, De Soto High’s director of bands who has known both boys since she was a counselor in bands camps they attended together.  “They’re not friends because they do things together and I don’t think they do things together because they’re friends.  It’s just part of their excellent system that has worked out for them.”

They are both All-State high school musicians on the same instrument, the alto sax.  They star in the same band groups, they’re awesome debate partners, they are anchors of De Soto High’s state champion scholar bowl team, they soar in most of the same advance placement college credit classes, their GPAs are in the stratosphere and there’s much more.

“So we’re very good friends but we do compete a lot in a lot of things,” says Parker.  “Seating auditions for band, on tests and whatnot.  We compete a lot but it’s good competition.”

Oh, and then there’s that other thing about them that they’ve done the same.  They both got 36 on their ACT college aptitude exams — perfect scores.  And they’ve done all of this with class and modesty that endear them to other students and their teachers.

“Everyone loves Parker and Philip,” says Willis.  “I think that’s  because people recognize how great of people they are.  They are just excellent people to be around.  They have a great effect on all the students.  They inspire people to be great.”

While Parker and Philip do have this friendly rivalry going on, there’s another wonderful dynamic working between them.  They support one another to the max and celebrate each other’s successes as much as they do their own.

“Having Parker there makes me that much better and I’m sure it’s the same way for him,” says Philip.  “But were rooting for each other all the time.”

But in a few months everything will change for them.  Philip will go to the University of Kansas.

“I’m planning on going into music education,” he says.

Parker wants to go east to a leading science and technology university.

“I plan to major in computer science,” he says.

So for the first time in their long history together they won’t be together.  But no one expects their rare combination of friendship and sky high achievement to end.

“Parker and Philip are two amazing individuals,” says Willis in admiration and respect.  “They both have their individual personalities and talents and skills and they just come together well in a variety of ways.  In my experience, whether teaching or as a student, I don’t think I’ve ever met two people quite like Parker and Philip, truly.”

Both boys are National Merit Semi-finalists and they rank first and third in the senior class academically.  Leadership is big for them, too.  Among many other things, Philip is drum major of the marching band and captain of the cross country team and Parker is debate team captain and an Eagle Scout.

FOX 4 News is Working 4 You to spotlight outstanding young people and their positive accomplishments.  In our weekly report called Reaching 4 Excellence we meet young achievers in subjects like academics, the arts, leadership, community service, volunteerism, career exploration, overcoming obstacles and heroism.  Watch for Reaching 4 Excellence every Wednesday on Fox 4 News at 9 p.m. and every Thursday on FOX 4 News at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.