Amboy High School December Student of the Month: Ethan Larson

Ethan Larson, 18, of Dixon, is the Amboy High school December Student of the Month. His parents are Kimberly Larson and Mike Larson. His younger brother is Cole Larson.

Favorite class: AP U.S. History. History always has been my favorite class in school because the varying topics have so much information that just keep adding on. In APUSH, I loved debating with my classmates and teacher on all the different topics.

Least-favorite class: Chemistry. Any science class in general hasn’t been fun for me; I don’t know if it’s because I don’t understand the criteria or it’s just difficult for me to process this topic. All I can say is that the tests were never friendly with me.

Favorite teacher: Danielle Benesh. Ms. Benesh is a dedicated teacher who will answer any question. She is always helping others, whether it is in the classroom or outside of school helping at our blood drives. She’s welcoming and understands that school can sometimes be difficult. For these reasons she has been a huge influence in my life.

School activities in which you participate: National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Student Council, FFA, Leo’s Club, Academic Team, baseball, football, and Outdoor Club.

Civic, church, or other volunteer activities in which you participate: I have helped with blood drives for the American Red Cross hosted by Spanish Honor Society and Student Council. Since junior high, I have helped organize canned food drives at the Amboy Fire Department, and I have sold candy bars for charity for Leo’s Club. This past election, I served as an election judge for Amboy’s 2nd Precinct.

What will you do after high school? I am enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard with plans to attend Illinois State University. I would like to major in political science and maybe further down the road, history. I honestly would like to have a career in politics; I love helping people, and the job combines so many skills into one career.

What is something you learned in high school that you think you’ll never use? The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. Thanks, chemistry.

If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be? For dual enrollment students attending Sauk Valley Community College, I would propose changing grades to where they would be weighted compared to regular high school classes. So say you’re getting a B- at Sauk, for the high school it would be an A-.

If you could create any new class at your school, what would it be? Sports management. I love the business side of baseball and football, and I think it would be a perfect opportunity to break out my fantasy team.

What does it take to be a successful high school student? Perseverance, dedication, and the ability to just laugh at some situations.

Do you have a job? I did work for the City of Dixon in the Public Works Department before enlisting in the Illinois Army National Guard. But today most of my jobs are between the military, watching my neighbor’s dogs, and helping with maintenance around our house.

How would you describe your group of friends? Smartest people I have ever met (I’m being sarcastic).

Who is your best friend? Nick Tarr. We share the same humor, same passion and interest for history, and we just love cracking jokes whenever possible.

What do you do in your free time? I enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, and playing video games whenever I get the chance.

What kind of music are you listening to? I’ve always loved country music, but lately I’ve gotten into the rock genre.

If you could go anywhere in the world for free, where would it be? Trip to Europe. Europe has so much rich history and I would like to discover my ancestry and where my family originated.

What is your favorite childhood memory? In our basement we have these 360-degree scooters that when you push a lever sparks come out. Whenever we had friends over that would be the go-to activity, and it was extremely fun to bounce off the walls and each other.

What is the best way to cheer you up? If anyone says something funny whenever I’m down, that immediately cheers me up.

What is your life’s philosophy? Failure is an option, you learn from your mistakes. Giving up is not an option.

Do you have any pets? We have an orange cat named Roger whose job is to exterminate the mice, but I’d like to have a puppy again someday.

What would you do if you received $1 billion all of a sudden? Keep quiet and lay low for a couple of days. Then get a Swiss bank account under the name Ethan Larz and deposit all of it in there until someone desperately needs it in my family.

Is there anything else you want people to know about you? I’m a hard worker who is dedicated to getting the job done. I am thankful for everything and everyone who has helped me along the way. Hopefully I can make a difference in our world and help those who have helped me.

Your favorite:

Food: Biscuits and gravy

Musical artist: George Strait

Movie: “The Searchers”

TV show: “Parks and Recreation”

Pro or college sports team: Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears