Junior Ethan Wood is known by many as a steady presence on the cheer team — the lifter, the one who helps hold others up. But when you take a closer look, it’s clear that lifting is more than just his role in cheer; it’s a reflection of how he approaches life.

Confidence, for example, is something Ethan admires deeply in others and works hard to build within himself. “I really love other people’s confidence. It is something I aspire to keep growing,” he said. That drive to grow — to keep pushing forward no matter what — is a theme that runs through everything he does. If he could give advice to his younger self, he says it would be simple: “Keep pushing. No matter what happens in a day, keep pushing. And stay optimistic.”

Music is one of Ethan’s biggest passions, even if it isn’t always obvious at first glance. “I love music. Everything music. I love playing music, listening to music. Everything music I’m all for,” he explained. Music, like cheer, is another way he finds rhythm, joy, and energy in life.

Family also plays a central role in shaping who Ethan is and who he wants to become. If given the chance to trade places with anyone for a day, Ethan wouldn’t choose a celebrity or athlete — he’d choose his mom. “She is a perfect example of who I want to be,” he said. “She has always been there, and no matter what decision I make, I know that she will back me up.”

Ethan’s answers reveal a mix of determination and heart. Before he’s 25, he hopes to make his first million dollars, and while he laughs about his favorite indulgence being homemade chocolate chip cookies, his ambitions show he’s focused on more than the present moment. He admits he wishes he had taken more risks in school, especially by challenging himself with harder classes, but that lesson has only fueled his drive to take on bigger challenges in the future.

At home, Ethan enjoys time with his two dogs: Max, a goldendoodle with a notorious taste for paper, and Bama, a laid-back pup he adores. At school, you might catch him at lunch with pizza crunchers on his tray. And when he looks outward at the world, he dreams of a simple but powerful change: that people would focus more on what unites them than what divides them.

When asked to sum up who he is, Ethan’s answer comes with honesty and depth: “I am 100 things but also one thing: I am somebody who tries to find the light and someone who cares for others and experiences different feelings no matter the situation.”

In cheer, in music, in his friendships and future goals, Ethan Wood is a lifter — someone who holds others up while continuing to climb higher himself.