Pekin senior Ben Guise

Ben Guise, the son of Matt and Beth Guise, is in the spotlight this week. He is the oldest of four children: he has a 16-year-old sister, Abby; and 14-year-old twin siblings, Harper and Liam.

In school, Ben has stayed busy with cross-country, track and field, honor roll/academics, concert band, jazz band, marching band, pep band, honor band, chorus, honor chorus, tech internship, National Honors Society (NHS), theater and drama, large group speech, individual speech, quiz bowl, TAG, student council, robotics, FCCLA, and ISTEP. He also has been a teller at Pilot Grove Savings Bank in Packwood for the past two years.

What’s your favorite school memory/OR what will you remember the most: One of my favorite memories from high school would be going up to Iowa State for a track meet my junior year and the elevator breaking while we were inside it.

If you could go back and change one thing, what would it be: I would have started quiz bowl, large group speech, and individual speech my freshman year instead of my junior year. They are so much fun and have taught me so many life skills.

Finish this sentence: “I could not live without…” My family. They have supported me at every point in my life.

What’s the best and/or worst thing about being a senior: I enjoy the perks that come with being a senior such as a less demanding school schedule.

Which teacher or staff member has had the biggest impact on you and why: Mr. Babcock is the school's IT guy. He has taken me under his wing so I can learn about technology and how it works.

Advice to incoming high school freshmen: Be kind to everyone, no matter their status or appearance. There is more to anyone than any surface-level observations.

What are your plans after graduation: I plan to attend Indian Hills Community College for a year to obtain an Associate of Arts degree. After that, I aim to transfer to The University of Iowa to become a historian.

What is one outrageous thing you want to try in your lifetime: I would like to sky-dive.

If you could move anywhere in the world, where would you go AND why: I would move somewhere in Europe so I can explore the history of that region.

Who has been your biggest influence AND why: My parents and my grandparents have encouraged me to keep working toward my goals by attending every single extracurricular event I've ever participated in.