Discus Award Winner
Nicholas Thomas
12th Grade, MI
ATTRIBUTES
Academics
For the last 4 years, I have attended the Macomb Mathematics Science Technology Center for half of my day, taking my math and science classes there. I had to test in to the school and only the top 72 students out of about 10 different high schools made it in. While there, I have achieved many different accomplishments, such as placing in the top 1,000 in the Michigan Math Prize Competition for two straight years, and completing a research project every year. This year my research project ended up being over 100 pages. While I did not have to take on this challenge, having to do much extra work, I believed that in the end all of the effort would be worth it.
Athletics
While most people think that sports only count if you play on your high school team, I would care to disagree. I train harder than many Olympic athletes at the sport that I love: juggling. While it may seem like just a circus art, there is a whole other sport aspect to it that very few realize. I train anywhere from 3 to 5 hours a day, every single day, to try and be the best that I can. I have competed in the World Juggling Federation (WJF) Championships in Las Vegas along with Springfield, Illinois, and and placed high in nearly all of the competitions that I competed in, and winning the Intermediate Clubs competition, ultimately earning me the title of the WJF's Intermediate Champion.
Faith
Religion has always been an important part of my life. I have co-lead a weekly after school Bible study with my friend for the last 3 years called "Simply Jesus," after my friend and I took over the club after the founder graduated. Also, I have been a part of the Praise Team at my church, running the PowerPoint every other Sunday. My family and I make it an important part of every Sunday to make it to church, and we nearly always go. I always give all of the glory to God for my juggling intellectual talents, along with everything else He has gifted me. While I have struggled with my faith through the years, I know He is always there for me, helping me get through the day.
