Student of the month: Gavin Cooper


Student of the Month Gavin Cooper is involved in many activities, including track, as he is shown (front) at April’s Drake Relays in Des Moines. (Express file photo)
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     Each month, Monticello High School nominates a student who exhibits positive behavior, as part of an initiative called PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports). The students support the school’s characteristics of Respect, Responsibility, Caring, Safety, and Integrity.

     The final MHS student of the month for this school year is junior Gavin Cooper of Monticello.

     Cooper was nominated by two of his teachers, Vallerie Lynn and Jessica Hillers. His nomination read: “Gavin is a very polite and caring student. He is very nice to all of the students and is very helpful to the staff. He is respectful, kind and responsible. He is involved in a lot of extracurricular activities, but he still makes sure to keep academics a priority. Gavin always treats others the way he would want to be treated, which includes students and staff.”

     Just sitting down with Cooper, you can sense how responsible and down-to-earth he truly is.

     Cooper said he found out he was nominated during his pre-calculus class.

     “I was talking to my friends and everyone was looking at me,” he laughed. That’s when Mr. Dan Sauser, his teacher, informed him of the good news.

     “It’s an honor,” Cooper said. “There are a lot of good kids in school, and it’s pretty good to be nominated, especially when I’m so busy.”

     Cooper said his philosophy in life to always “maintain a positive attitude and stay cordial to others.”

     Cooper said he tries to do what’s right, tries to consider all of the consequences before making a decision that could affect others.

     “I try to think twice about what I’m doing,” he said. “I try to see the overall picture before making a decision, and if my gut tells me no, I won’t do it.”

     The MHS teachers who nominated Cooper spoke about his kindness toward others. Between classes, when walking the halls, Cooper makes a point of greeting his fellow classmates and peers, smiling and waving to his friends.

     “It’s important to stay happy, even when you’re having a bad day.” Good advice for everyone.

     Cooper helps teachers put equipment away after class as well, willing to lend a hand if needed.

     Being involved in so many extracurricular activities, he said it’s important to him to be attentive and productive in class so he doesn’t have a lot of homework to tackle after school.

     “I listen and get things done and stay on task,” he said. “There is always time to mess around later.”

     Cooper’s involvement in athletics means a lot of late nights during the week.

     “I like to sleep in, so usually I am right on time in the morning for school,” he joked.

     That means he spends his afternoons and evenings at practices, sporting events or hitting the books. Cooper’s usually arrives home for the evening between 8/9 p.m. and stays up late doing homework or studying.

     “If I can get seven hours of sleep, I’m fine,” he said.

     This past Monday was the first time Cooper went directly home after school in roughly three years.

     “I like to stay busy and involved.”

     That statement could not be truer. Cooper is active in track, baseball, basketball, football, FFA, choir, and the football leadership team, something he takes pride in.

     “It teaches you about what being a leader means and builds better character,” he said of the group.

     With about a dozen players involved in the group, Cooper said they want to “change the culture from ‘me’ to ‘we.’” He said they are able to apply the leadership skills not only to their job on the football field, but in the classroom, at home, and in life.

     Cooper said he enjoys school because he gets to see his friends every day. He enjoys his math classes the best because Sauser “makes math fun.”

     With summer break days away, Cooper will remain busy with team conditioning for football, baseball and a Spanish class at Kirkwood. He will also be preparing to show livestock at the Jones County Fair.

     With another year to go before graduation, Cooper wants to attend Iowa State University and combine multiple majors into one, involving animal science, animal nutrition/genetics, and animal RNA/DNA.

     Cooper is the son of Becky Cooper and Brian Cooper of Monticello.

 

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