How long have you attended CDA?

I started attending CDA in sixth grade, after my family moved from Wisconsin to Texas. There was definitely an adjustment period, but the beauty of the CDA model is that once you’ve learned how to succeed in sixth grade, you’ve learned how to succeed in twelfth grade. The recipe doesn’t change, it’s just amplified a little bit. One thing I learned about CDA is that if you want to capitalize on what makes CDA unique, then you need to focus on the people. That is what has made my time at CDA so enjoyable, that by God’s grace I found the right people. Achievements and success are cool while they last, but I have found infinitely more fulfillment and joy in the friendships I’ve made at Coram Deo Academy.

What is the secret to your success in the classroom?

Nothing, not even talent, can replace time and effort. There is no cheat code, no magic studying hack that will instantly raise your grades. It is all about how much you want it. Success is directly linked to hard work. My parents raised me to try my very best in everything I do. That is the kind of thing that keeps me up at night: knowing that I could have done better and that I didn’t. Whether you call it a work ethic or an irrational fear, that desire to do my best applies to all areas of my life, whether it’s band or football or school. It is that desire, plus a love of learning, that has driven me to do well in school.

You received a perfect score on your ACT. What did you do to prepare for the test?

For me, the biggest key to preparing was simply being able to take a practice test, and then see exactly what I got wrong and why. I didn’t worry about test-taking strategies or test-prep classes—I just bought the ACT Prep Guide off of Amazon for about $20 and took a couple of the practice tests at home. Being able to see a practice test was really what I found to be the most helpful in studying for the ACT.

When did your love for music begin?

Sometime in about the second or third grade my parents forced my brothers and me to take piano lessons. It was not love at first sight. However, after five years or so, I genuinely started to like the piano and playing music in general. By this point I had already started playing saxophone in the school band, and my love of music, especially jazz, grew. All those long years of practice and dedication eventually resulted in an accomplished high school band career. I don’t intend to major in music or pursue it seriously in college, but I believe it will be my favorite hobby for the rest of my life. Few things reliably bring me as much joy as music does, whether it’s rehearsing with a full band, practicing alone in my bedroom, or listening to Charlie Parker while I do the dishes. Music is somewhat of the quintessential sidekick to my life—it is never the main act, but life wouldn’t be quite right without it.

You played football during your senior year. What was that like?

I think that perhaps the most accurate way I could describe both the ups and downs of football is to say that it’s a little bit like trial by fire, but in a good way. The very premise of the game involves hitting people as hard as you physically can until you yourself are creamed by someone who is probably much bigger than you. But after that trial by fire, after you’ve burned away the dross from the silver, what you’re left with is something much more valuable than what you started with. I found on an individual level that playing football has been one of the periods of greatest personal growth for me over the past four years. I made a ton of new friends along the way, people who I still greet enthusiastically in the halls even though the season has been over for months.

Why is it important for students to be well-rounded?

Students ought to be well-rounded for the same reason that small children ought to eat their vegetables. Not because it’s easy, but because it’s good for you. It builds character, it changes you as a person, and it fills you out. It softens your edges. Where I think the analogy breaks down is that I personally have found being well-rounded to be enjoyable and rewarding, even if it is difficult. Eating one’s vegetables, on the other hand, is rarely enjoyable and always difficult.

What does your future hold?

I am currently planning to attend Hillsdale College in Michigan. As of today, my major of choice is English, but I also intend to broadly study the humanities and the classics. As a career, I want to write and to teach at the highest level I can. I believe the value of good teachers, especially at the high school level, is underestimated by most people today. Teachers are the ones who are shaping the next generation. They teach more than the material; they teach habits, and they cultivate love for learning within the student. I never dreamed of being an English major until I took Mrs. Powell’s class, and now that is all I want to do. Teaching and education, while perhaps not glamorous or lucrative pursuits, are foundational to a healthy society, and that is why I want to be a teacher and a writer.