Jacob Jacob Bennett had a lot of favorite classes at ETHS, but the one that truly stuck out to him was AP Biology. For this reason, he’s planning on majoring in biology at the University of Richmond. However, his academic career spanned a much broader spectrum than just science.

“I wanted to take photography twice my senior year and I was able to do that. Also, art history is one of my favorite classes,” he explained.

Outside of the classroom, Bennett played three sports that helped him grow closer with a great community.

“I played tennis, table tennis and badminton, which are kind of the same group of kids,” he reflected. “So I got to know them all through those three sports which was really nice.”

Even though Bennett was involved in so many extracurriculars, he explained that one of the things he remembers most fondly from his time at ETHS is the way he spent his lunch blocks.

“One thing I really liked sophomore year was that I went out a lot to just eat on the grass,” he said. “Now I eat lunch in my car but I’ve never been to a cafeteria. Maybe once or twice when it was raining, but as for the sunny days, going out and just sitting in a circle with my friends, eating on the grass was really enjoyable.”

While Jake Broy has had a lot of memorable moments throughout his time at ETHS,  his favorite of this year was the homecoming football game, when Evanston beat New Trier.

“That was definitely the happiest I’ve been at ETHS,” he said.

Being a part of the football team has been Broy’s most meaningful experience, beyond just when they won a game. From the staff to the students, he was surrounded by a strong community that allowed him to build relationships during a time when it was particularly difficult.

“I joined during COVID, so it was a really good way for me to make friends, get social at a time where it was hard to get outside and meet people,” he said. “And the coaching staff was really good. The staff cares more about the person than the athlete.”

Although he’s not professionally pursuing football, Broy is set on going into material science engineering, though he’s still deciding between Purdue University and Illinois State University. As he moves on to the next stage of his life, he leaves behind a message for the incoming freshman to follow; to join an extracurricular—even if it’s not the football team—where they can find long-lasting relationships like Broy did.

“Try to join extracurriculars. Whether it be sports or anything else, just try to join things where you can see people outside of school, because it can be kind of hard to meet people,” he said. “It’s a lot easier to make friends with people when you join a club or some kind of sport.”