One exceptional student at Millbrook that stands out for his diligence and commitment to our community is Yannis Panou. You can find him working behind the scenes of most major school events operating the sound system flawlessly. However, his initiative does not stop there: Yannis is also a member of National Achievers Society, African Student Association, and the Chick-Fil-A Leadership Academy. Outside of school, he frequently volunteers at a local thrift store to do his part in the community. “Yannis is a hard-working, passionate person who dedicates his time and energy for performances that all of Millbrook can enjoy,” said senior Jonathan Medrano about his friend. Yannis and his vibrant personality bring an upbeat spirit to Millbrook and the technical theater program.

  For the past two and a half years, he has done sound for plays, musicals, concerts, and pep rallies to ensure that it works perfectly in unison. His devotion to doing tech is because it is something he simply loves. Inspired by the information he learned in technical theater classes during his sophomore year, he joined the after-school crew and currently serves as the sound crew chief. He commented, “I chose sound crew specifically, out of all of the crews, because it is so interesting and best matches my personal interests.” He has tried other roles in the program, but doing sound is what he enjoys the most. After he graduates, he plans to continue on with some of the sound knowledge he has learned at Millbrook by majoring in computer science and minoring in audio engineering at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

  A major part of being in the sound crew that Yannis enjoys is the theater aspect. The musical during his sophomore year, Mary Poppins, was his favorite show to work on in his throughout his years in technical theater. He said it has “no competition.” However, one show he wishes he could have worked is Annie.. This show was performed at Millbrook before he was on crew. When he was in kindergarten in New York, his school put together that musical and doing sound for it would be a nice homage. His all-time favorite show, though, is A Raisin in the Sun. This is because “it was one of the first successful plays written by a black person. The play discusses issues in the black community and, overall, is such a great play.”

  In his free time, Yannis enjoys volunteering, hanging out with friends, and playing video games. His last year at Millbrook will close off full of memories from his time on the sound crew. He is currently training another student to take his place for next year as crew chief. He advises current underclassmen to “take the time to really find out what’s for you. Try new things, find your place, and find your passion.”