IONIA, Mich. (WOOD) — Students at Ionia High School have GRIT.
That’s the school’s motto. GRIT stands for growth mindset, respect, integrity and teamwork.
Sam Eppler, a senior at the school, is a living example of those principles.
School administrators say he is a leader in the classroom and the hallways while also excelling in athletics.
Here is a rundown of just a few of Eppler’s accomplishments:
He is the National Honor Society treasurer with 75 hours of community service logged. In addition, he is a class representative, an all-state chorus member, organized the school’s first Veterans Day Breakfast this past year, has a 4.24 GPA and is his class salutatorian.
In athletics, his accomplishments are just as impressive:
Eppler was named to the all-state academic team in basketball, was named Ionia County’s tennis player of the year two years in a row, made it to the state finals this year, was an all-state honorable mention in tennis, and made the all-region team in track.
He has also just received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
“I want to go along the route of giving back to communities, so I feel that (military) would be the best,” he said.
He begins his basic training on June 26.
