Whiz Kid: Ethan Murray a Leader at Abbott

Each week, West Bloomfield Patch features students doing amazing things in their schools and in their communities. 

Ethan Murray

• Age: 14
• School: 
• Achievement: Ethan has been a part of the Abbott vocal music program since his sixth grade year. The West Bloomfield eighth-grader is now preparing for his first lead role in , opening Feb. 24 at . It's simply a fun role for Ethan to take on — "Joseph is a real hot-shot, a show-off," he said — but the hallmark moment isn't lost on his teachers and parents, who regard Ethan as a leader in a diverse array of extracurricular activities.
  
  When Abbott vocal music teacher and Joseph musical director John Deierlein met Ethan two and a half years ago, he likely never imagined the level of involvement that Ethan would bring to the program. Since initially discovering an interest and talent in choir and theater classes, Deierlein said Ethan has devoted plenty of time after school and made great strides as a result. 
  
  Ethan also starred at Abbott as a cross country runner, leading the team to a winning season with several first places, according to 10-year head coach Connie Fellman. Not only is Ethan talented athletically, but, she said, he truly understands what it means to "leave it all out there." 
  
  "I’ve never had someone take charge of every practice, every meet, for the whole team," she said. "He's internally motivated and driven. He does everything he needs to do for himself without asking for much — well, when he decided he wanted to do a half-marathon, he asked me for a training program."
  
  Ethan is running to train for his first half-marathon, organized by West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation, scheduled for April 18. "It's a very mental sport," he said of cross country. "It's a good competition and kind of a stress reliever. I want to see how far I can push myself."

• Key to awesomeness: Ethan has taken advantage of the vast opportunities available at the middle school level and branched out his areas of interest, according to Deierlein. In addition to cross country, acting and singing, Ethan volunteers his time to Deierlein in order to learn how to set up sound amplification equipment; sometimes, he works as a singer and a sound tech at the same concert. 
  
  Ethan's father Marc Murray said although he might not understand where the diverse array of interests come from, he's thrilled to see his second-oldest son of four so active in arts and athletics. "I’m very enthused and really proud of him," he said. "To have experiences in a wide range of things just makes you a better person." 

Do you know our next Whiz Kid?

West Bloomfield Patch welcomes suggestions for students, youth groups and even sports teams who wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and select one each week as Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination in our comment box below or email the information to editor Tim.Rath@patch.com. Please include all these details:

• Nominator's name
• Whiz Kid's name and age
• Whiz Kid's school
• Whiz Kid's accomplishment
• What makes him or her successful