Photos courtesy of Ryan Kronk
Student Spotlight is a new feature in Pickerington Magazine, featuring a student from a different area high school in every issue.
In his four years at Pickerington High School North, Ryan Kronk has not only achieved, but exceeded, the call of duty as a student.
At 18 years old, he seems to be just another senior walking the halls of North. But with just a quick conversation, it appears that he is much more than that. Humility rings in every word the well-spoken, knowledge-driven and wise-beyond-his-years man says.
Ryan lives with his parents, Jim and Rebecca Kronk. He has an older brother – C.J., 19 – and a younger sister, Rachel, 16. Rachel is on track to graduate high school early, and C.J., who also excelled in school, is now a sophomore in college and a major inspiration to Ryan.
Student Spotlight: Authenticity Ambassador
“My older brother, C.J., has been a influential figure in my life,” says Ryan. “He has inspired me as a role model to always put education first. He dedicated a large part of his life to academics and striving to become the best in his class. C.J. always went above and beyond what was asked of him, and I admire him for that.”
Another encouraging figure in Ryan’s life is his grandfather. Looking back on many memories of him, Ryan remembers the influence he had on shaping his character.
“My grandfather, an extremely intelligent yet sometimes misunderstood man, is another significant inspiration in my life,” says Ryan. “His wise words and life anecdotes always provided insight on how I can grow as an individual. He never steered me wrong.”
Ryan is grateful for what Pickerington has provided him throughout his youth.
“I love that the community has excellent education and church programs with a diverse group of students,” he says. “The sheer amount of opportunities available to me here in Pickerington is great, and being able to volunteer with numerous programs allows me to grow as a person.”
The Pickerington Youth Athletic Association is one program for which Ryan has gratitude.
As well as being involved with his community, Ryan is also very involved in school clubs. These include organizations such as Team Physics, the Science Club, National Honor Society, Students Helping Our Pickerington Pets, SPY (Seton Parish Youth) Band and the Superintendent Student Advisory Committee. He also recently became a member of the Computer Science Club.
“Ben Kissinger, my fellow AP Science classmate and friend, created it to help promote technology use in our school system,” Ryan says. “I hope to see it perpetuated at Pickerington North for years to come.”
Ryan has a special appreciation for Team Physics and the myriad ways in which it has steered him toward his future. The program gives North students the opportunity to travel to elementary and middle schools to perform educational skits and learning sessions on physics.
“These science performances are called ‘educament’ – education through entertainment – a term coined by the club’s advisor, Doug Forrest,” Ryan says. “As the Team Physics engineer, I love being able to see the kids enjoy our skits and the contraptions I’ve built while teaching them something new.”
Ryan is enrolled in five AP classes this year and is part of the cross-country and track teams – he was previously a member of the swimming team as well – but he maintains a GPA above 4.0.
“My senior year … has definitely been the most difficult,” he says. “Each of my five AP classes requires at least one hour of dedication each night to fully understand the concepts. To help organize my studies, I make a list of all that needs to be done.”
Once he’s done with school, he heads to practice for the relevant sport, then comes home, eats dinner with his family and finishes his homework. Then, if there’s any time left before bed, he spends time with his friends.
“I always prioritize my homework and studies first over fun,” he says. “I value the nine hours I have at school and actively participate in class to make my time there count.”
In the free time he somehow finds between school, practice and his studies, Ryan also keeps himself entertained by playing the piano.
“I love learning to play current pop hits because they are easily relatable and also they allow my friends to sing along to all the songs they know,” he says.
Ryan is headed to the University of Dayton after he graduates from North, planning to pursue an engineering degree. He will also run cross-country.
“While I hope to one day have a successful career with a loving family, right now I just want to focus on doing what I love, which is learning new knowledge in mathematic and science fields,” says Ryan. “I am living in the moment and just trying to get a better feel of who I am and who I will be in the future.”
Olivia Tharp is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at ssole@cityscenemediagroup.com.
