Photo courtesy of Mia Keener
Like any busy high school senior, Dublin Jerome High School student Dan Keener has high aspirations for this year.
Everything from applying to the University of Notre Dame to becoming the president of French Club, Keener’s senior schedule in and out of the classroom looks packed. He is one of the co-leaders of the board for the Celtic Advisory Program, or CAP, a program that helps to mentor freshmen. Keener was the secretary of CAP last year and won Mentor of the Month last September.
CAP is set up as a way for freshman to get not only academic help, but social help as well. They are able to ask the mentors questions that they may not feel comfortable asking teachers. From a distance it might look like any other study hall, but it’s a place for creating community. Last Halloween, CAP groups dressed up in themed costumes, anywhere from Mario Kart to the periodic table. On Teacher Appreciation Day, freshmen wrote thank you letters to their teachers during their advisory time. It’s not all fun and games, however. CAP mentors must apply to the program through an extensive application process, and are trained at the beginning and middle of the year to ensure everyone is on track.
“For CAP, I am looking forward to a few of the events that we do like the freshman tailgate, where CAP hosts the freshmen and has a dunk tank and face paint,” Keener says. “Then the student section leaders lead the freshmen and other students into the stands for the first time and it’s meant to be a big social event.”
Underneath Keener’s passion for helping others is another impressive skill: Keener has played violin since he was 4 years old. The interest all started at daycare.
“It was an out-of-her-house daycare kind of thing, and (the babysitter) played the violin,” Keener says. “When I was really young I was fascinated by this because she would pull this out for naptime and I’d be like ‘Oh my gosh, what is this thing, how do I do it?’ So, I started taking lessons from a really young age and ever since then I’ve been really enjoying it.”
More recently, Keener and his sister learned Irish fiddling, and began to perform at the Dublin Irish Festival in 2013. They performed on the radio and on FOX 28’s Good Day Columbus.
"All of my classes are AP or IB, with the exception of CAP and chamber orchestra, so it’s going to be a challenge. Probably a lot of late nights, but hopefully I’ll be able to power through.” - Dan Keener
After 13 years, Keener still plays violin and uses it as a way to relieve stress. He is working on building a custom violin in his free time. He is also involved in a group called Caroling Strings, a small orchestra that plays for nursing homes during the holiday season. Though he is clearly a talented violinist, he has aspirations beyond the strings.
“I don’t think that I would get any sort of education in music,” Keener says, “but it’s definitely something that I’m going to keep with me, because it’s a great stress reliever. Also knowing that performing gives others joy, if ever I decide to go back to the Irish fest, I can pull that out.”
Instead of pursuing music, Keener thinks he wants to become a lawyer someday as a way to help those who cannot help themselves in the legal system. When it comes to college, he says, he has filled out the common application and is hoping for the best.
“I’m looking at Notre Dame and The Ohio State University as my top two choices,” Keener says. “Notre Dame if I can make it; OSU is a bit more realistic.”
Between CAP, French Club, college applications and playing violin, how is Kenner finding balance this year?
“Really, I don’t know,” Keener says. "All of my classes are AP or IB, with the exception of CAP and chamber orchestra, so it’s going to be a challenge. Probably a lot of late nights, but hopefully I’ll be able to power through.”
Maria Lubanovic is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
