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Dixon High School October Student of the Month: Ellenor Zimmerman

Ellenor Zimmerman, 17, of Dixon, is Dixon High School’s October Student of the Month. Her parents are Eric and Corinne Zimmerman, and she has two brothers, Sam, 15 and Charles, 10, and a sister Eliza, 12.

Favorite class: Band. Although it may not be an academic class, there is a great amount of knowledge and skill that goes into playing an instrument and the music that we are able to create is an indescribable beauty. There also is a sense of personal accomplishment to be able to see and hear the result of all the time and energy I have put into my instrument over the past eight years.

Least-favorite class: AP Spanish. Although my classmates and my teacher are fun, the subject matter is rather difficult because it takes a lot of practice to be able to learn a different language. It can be frustrating at times because it is hard to transition my mindset from English to Spanish.

Favorite teacher: Band director Riley Carter. This is Mr. Carter’s second year at Dixon High School, and he has gone above and beyond in trying to extend our individual capabilities as well as developing the music program as a whole. In the last year, I have grown immensely as a musician because of Mr. Carter’s passion for music.

School activities: I am co-captain of the varsity cheer squad, president of Key Club and co-president of Student Council. I am also involved in theater with the production of “AX of Murder,” track and field, band, and Math Team.

Civic, church, or other volunteer activities: I was elected the 2021 Petunia Festival female attendant, where I was involved in numerous community endeavors this summer. I have also been an assistant coach and volunteer for the younger level cheer organizations in the area. Inside of school, I have put in over 400 hours of community work from primarily cheer and Key Club as well as some other miscellaneous events.

What will you do after high school? I have just begun my college search, so I am unsure about where I would like to attend. I also am still unsure about what I would like to major in, although I do know that I would like to work with children. Wherever my life takes me, I would like to continue impacting society in a positive way.

What is something you learned in high school that you think you’ll never use? How to diagram sentences. It is tedious and quite unnecessary for more experienced writers who thoroughly understand sentence structure.

If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be? It would probably be the parking. The parking situation is always such a cluster, and I have witnessed numerous accidents due to the tight and minimal parking.

If you could create any new class at your school, what would it be? I would create a career class where students would be able to plan for their futures and have assistance in taking the right steps toward whatever path they chose for their life. I would choose this class because it is very daunting for teenagers to have the next chapter of their lives figured out before the current chapter even closes. With assistance, I think students would feel much more comfortable making import financial- and career-related decisions upon leaving high school.

What does it take to be a successful high school student? I think that in order to find success, one must put in effort. For me, success is not determined by the validation of others, it is determined by the hard work that is being put in behind the scenes. Whether it is in an academic setting, in a sport, or in a club, hard work leads to success.

Do you have a job? I babysit on occasion, which I enjoy because I get to interact with kids.

How would you describe your group of friends? I have known most of my close friends since early elementary school, so we all have a ton of shared memories and experiences which have kept us close over the years. We all have our own unique traits and passions but have also grown up sharing many of the same.

Who is your best friend? Paige Riley. We have known each other since the summer before kindergarten, so we have experienced a large majority of our childhood together. She has been by my side through it all, and I can’t count the amount of times we have broken out into what seems like never-ending laughter.

What do you do in your free time? I enjoy biking and playing disc golf with my dad. I also enjoy spending time with my friends and going to Culver’s to get custard.

What kind of music are you listening to? I enjoy anything from pop, to country, to musical theater, to rock.

If you could go anywhere in the world for free, where would it be? I would love to go to Italy. Besides the fact that Italian is one of my favorite cuisines, I find the architecture and aesthetic to be quite beautiful, and I would love to see it in person.

What is your favorite childhood memory? One of the most exciting and unforgettable memories I have had is traveling to Orlando, Florida with my cheer team to perform at the 2019 Citrus Bowl. We got the opportunity to perform in front of thousands of people on New Year’s Day as well as enjoy the magic of Disney World.

What is the best way to cheer you up? Do something with my friends. They say laughter is the best medicine, and when I’m with my friends, laughter is almost always guaranteed even on the worst days.

What is your life’s philosophy? Work hard. Through hard work and determination, I truly believe that there is little that cannot be achieved.

Do you have any pets? I have a nine-year-old Scottish terrier named Phoebe as well as two bunnies named Dwight and Rona.

What would you do if you received $1 billion dollars all of a sudden? The first thing I would do is cover all of my college expenses. I would also like to buy a new flute. Of course, it would also be nice to buy a new car or a new phone, but with that amount of money I would certainly donate a good portion of it to charitable causes, because no matter how much or how little money I have, there will always be someone out there less fortunate than me.

Favorite things:

Musical artist: Old Dominion

Movie: “The Parent Trap”

TV Show: “The Office”

Sports Team: Chicago Cubs

Color: Pink

Source: The Daily Chronicle

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