Posted on Nov 27, 2019 in
HIGH SCHOOL HOT SHOT
Alexander Kearney
By Joan Frances –
High school life at Stephen F. Austin is devoted to academics and extracurricular activities. Students fill their time by making the most of what the school has to offer. Senior Alexander Kearney has achieved success and respect in accomplishing his goals and is looking forward to an exciting future.
Kearney has taken Advanced Placement (AP) classes throughout his high school career. He has earned the AP Scholar with Distinction recognition award, and he has earned the Academic Excellence Award each year.
As a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, his forte is Music. For the past four years, Kearney has been a member of his school’s marching band. Last year, he was the Low Brass section leader, and this year, he is the drum major. “Leading one of Texas’s most renowned band programs as a drum major has been fulfilling to no end. Not only did I get the opportunity to conduct our unforgettable performances this year, I was able to give back to the band that has given me so much.”
The Stephen F. Austin Band has a highly regarded reputation in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) and Bands of America (BOA) marching band competitions. Over the past three years, they have received UIL Superior Ratings and have placed in the top five at the UIL Area E Marching Band Contest. Last year, the band was crowned the 3A Class Champion at the BOA Houston Regional Marching Competition, and this year, they placed 7th overall. This year also witnessed the band compete out of state for the first time since 2010, placing 8th out of 84 bands.
Kearney has enjoyed every second of it. “My time in the marching band is my greatest treasure. The experience of coming together with people who share the same passion for creating astounding musical performances that inspire audiences and working past fatigue to make these dreams reality is unforgettable. The character qualities and friendships I developed through marching band will stay with me far beyond high school.”
In addition to his commitment to academics and the marching band, Kearney is in the choir, and since freshman year, he has been in the Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC). He is an Area 10 Leadership Academy Graduate and holds the office of Command Master Chief Petty Officer. He has two favorite teachers: his band director, Mr. Ryan Demkovich, and Senior Naval Science Instructor, Senior Chief Aaron Johnson. “They were instrumental in my development as a leader and person, continuously challenging me to be the best I can be and offering help and counseling whenever I needed it.”
The values Kearney live by are faith and hard work. “Everything I do, I do to ultimately serve God. I unequivocally believe that hard work will always be rewarded in the end, and the only limit to what you can achieve is how hard you are willing to work. I also believe that hardship is what makes us better. As the Roman poet Horace expressed, ‘Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.’”
When Kearney is not busy working on academics, band or NJROTC, he volunteers his time at the Houston Food Bank and Second Mile Mission Center. He is devoted to his church, Sugar Creek Baptist Church, working with the youth ministry’s tech team, maintaining and setting up electronic equipment for their worship band.
In the fall, Kearney will attend Texas A&M University and major in Computer Science. Congratulations Alexander Kearney for your talent and exceptional leadership skills. Good luck as you take the next step toward a memorable future.
