Spectacular Students: Andrew Bonsted
November 10, 2020
“My favorite thing about Millbrook is the people. I have met so many different and amazing people throughout my classes and extracurricular activities. I have gained so much knowledge and experience by interacting with them,” said senior Andrew Bonsted. Although his high school career is coming to an end, Andrew is trying to make the best of his senior year! While being involved in the theatre department, National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, and Latin club, Andrew still manages to excel in his classes. These things are what make Andrew so spectacular.
Andrew’s favorite activity at Millbrook is theatre. He started doing theatre in sixth grade and has loved it ever since. When describing the theatre program, Andrew said, “I love the community that is built through the musicals and plays. I love acting onstage and playing unique characters.” Andrew has been a part of multiple productions, including Willy Wonka and Mary Poppins, and earned a leading role in both musicals during his freshman and sophomore year. Andrew auditioned for Mary Poppins, thinking that as a freshman he would likely not land a major role because generally upperclassmen secure those spots. Andrew ended up playing Michael Banks in Mary Poppins. “I had a chance at showing the entire school what I could do as the lead, and it was exciting,” he said. Unfortunately, due to COVID, the department has not had an opportunity to perform their fall play, but in class they have been creating and acting out scenes through online platforms. He said,“Although it has been different, we have been able to find out what works and what does not work through acting on Google Meet.”
Andrew is also involved in the Latin club and has been a member since freshman year. This year he became Latin Club President, which is very impressive due to how hard the language is to learn. Usually, Latin Club meets up and provides a space for everyone to speak and talk, no matter what their level of language proficiency–from beginner to advanced. They then discuss a Latin related topic or celebrate a Latin/Roman holiday.
Outside of school, Andrew likes to hang out with his friends and has been recently working on his college applications. One of his closest friends, senior Gannon Hollar said, “Andrew is someone who always knows how to make you laugh no matter what mood you are in. He is really caring of his friends and always makes sure my mental health is doing well.” After high school, Andrew plans on attending a four year university and majoring in computer science or engineering. His top three schools are University of Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and NC State. No matter where Andrew lands beyond Millbrook, we know that he will be successful!