Student of the Month: Tyler Hospodarsky


MHS senior Tyler Hospodarsky was named Student of the Month for November for being a role model to younger students. Hospodarsky said his leadership stems from his experience in cross country. He placed third in the state-qualifying meet in Monticello in October. (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 November Student of the Month at MHS is senior Tyler Hospodarsky. He was nominated for the honor because of his positive attitude and strong character, and for being a role model to younger students.

     Hospodarsky said he is simply passing down the traits he saw in his own upper classman role model, a fellow cross country runner Ben Ahlrichs.

     “He was the first to take me under his wing,” he said of Ahlrichs. “It really meant a lot to me.”

     As for how he exhibits a positive attitude, Hospodarsky said he just takes every day as it comes.

     “I show up for school, I’m responsible,” he said. “You don’t want to be a stick in the mud.”

     Hospodarsky said so many under classmen go out for cross country as a way to get involved in a great group of peers.

     “I like to lead by example,” said Hospodarsky of taking the younger students in and showing them the routine.

     For MHS, cross country is quite the active sport, winning numerous team and individual titles for both the male and female athletes.

     “We just have a great fan base,” credits Hospodarsky of all the hype surrounding the sport. “They get us pumped up.”

     Aside from his successes in cross country, Hospodarsky seems to generally enjoy school. He likes the opportunity to see his friends every day, as well as meet and be around new students.

     “I just talk to everybody,” he said. “You can catch up with people you don’t necessarily see every day.”

     Hospodarsky is not one to slack off either. Between school work, he also has a full schedule year round: track, baseball, choir, speech, and student council. During his sophomore year, Hospodarsky was seen in the MHS musical, just to try it out, he said.

     He admitted that balancing it all can be difficult to manage.

     “It is stressful,” he said. “It’s tough to work it, but I’m a better person for it all.”

     Hospodarsky explained at the start of the school year, he lays out a time-management system for doing homework, working, practices and more.

     “Time management is key,” he offered.

     Preparing for graduation, Hospodarsky said it seems as though high school flew by.

     “It’s a little intimidating,” he said of thinking about the next step in his life, “but I’m ready for the change. I’m ready to move on.”

     Hospodarsky plans to attend the University of Northern Iowa next fall. He’s considering degree options in communications or education, perhaps taking a cue from his parents who work within the Monticello School District.

     “Communications is such a broad field,” he said. “There are a lot of different avenues to take.”

     As for whether he plans to run in college, Hospodarsky said nothing is set in stone.

     “I’ll see where I need to be for cross country at UNI. There are always running clubs to join.”

     He said the opportunity to take advantage of college-credit courses at Kirkwood’s Jones Regional Education Center in Monticello has surely helped.

     “It’s given me a taste of college already,” said Hospodarsky. “The classes in general have allowed me to get out (of the high school) and get my feet wet.”

     Looking out for his fellow peers, Hospodarsky offers a piece of advice to those students who might be on the fence about what to do in high school: “Just do it. Get involved in something you enjoy. There are opportunities for everyone.”

     Hospodarsky is the son of Todd and Aimee Hospodarsky of Monticello.

Category:

Subscriber Login