Student of the Month: Andrew Verstraete

Written by: Chanel Baldwin '11

            You may have seen him on television or on our very own Auditorium stage, but none the less, Andrew Verstraete was selected by the staff of Eaton Rapids High School to be Student of the Month.  Verstraete was specifically chosen for his responsibility with the qualities of homework being done, classroom promptness, completes assignments, works to ability level, and participates in class and many more. 

Old Mr. Smith, who nominated Verstraete, says “I see him doing a lot of nice things. He’s very caring and empathetic.”  The staff obviously agreed.  “I like how he smiles while walking through the school,” Smith explained.

            Verstraete’s most influential teachers are Mr. Baker, Mr. Gellis, and Mr. Rupp.  “They deserve my best because they give me their best”, Verstraete .  Most students would agree that the quickest way to work hard is have someone helping you and pushing you along. 

Baker states “it is very satisfying to know that students appreciate your efforts.” Not only do the activities that Andrew participates in are hard, but they also take a lot of brain power. “Verstraete has always had a clear goal for his studies,” Baker says.   

Memorizing musical notes and places to step for Marching Band, lines to the latest school production, and of course, all of the answers to the Quiz Bowl questions. 

            Attending Western Michigan University in the fall of 2011, Verstraete plans to study Aerospace Engineering, which, you guessed it, is the designing of aircrafts and spacecrafts.  Most would say that planning to have a job anywhere near that of an astronaut or the spaceship it lives in while in space, is ridiculous; but Verstraete plans to expand ‘the skies the limit’ and prove many wrong.   

If Verstraete could give any fellow students information it would be “It only ends once, everything before that is just progress.”