Ryan Caldwell, a 2025 State High graduate, has come into the spotlight for his political content.
Caldwell, a recent graduate of the Class of 2025, now attends George Washington University (GW) in Washington, D.C., majoring in Political Science. He has since begun posting political content, mainly focused on the controversies the Federal Government has faced under the Trump Administration.
“I started making videos at the beginning of [this] year,” Caldwell said. “It was actually my New Year’s resolution to post every single day. It was something I planned on doing for a long time…to advocate for beliefs that I care about deeply.”
“In high school, I definitely had a ton of opportunities to speak with students from different classes about politics that really grew my political beliefs and knowledge,” Caldwell said.
Caldwell credits retired Social Studies teacher Andy Meritt as a major influence on getting into the political field.
“He was a fantastic student, very engaged, very thoughtful, well-read, analytical, he was a smart kid politically, he understood how the process worked,” Meritt said.
Besides his exploration of politics, Caldwell was heavily invested in the music and art curriculum, being a prominent member of the choir as well as State High’s Cross Country and Track Teams.
“He was a great leader and a good friend,” senior Owen Vigoline, one of Caldwell’s teammates, said.
Caldwell has expressed interest in running for office sometime in the near future.
“I definitely want to run for office one day,” Caldwell said. “Although that’s down the road, you have to be 25 to run for most offices. So right now it’s kind of just what works for me right now, and taking various routes to use my voice further, whether that’s after I get out of college, I might work in media, or I might work as a representative staff. It’s going to be a while until I run for office, but more than anything, making an image of myself, spreading my beliefs, getting my voice out there, and building a platform.”
“What we need are smart people, well-informed, engaging in the political process, to dispel the junk that’s out there, and Ryan’s the guy to do it,” Meritt said.
Caldwell continues to post political content daily and has become increasingly more engaged in politics within his own university. Most recently, he’s teamed up with fellow GW student Sam Maschi to promote Maschi’s campaign for the GW College Democrats Vice President of Political Affairs. This collaboration is an effort to make a shift towards the current university chapter, so it can become more engaged with the student population.
