Hunter Banks

Hunter Banks of Naples has been selected as the Bridgton-Lake Region Rotary Club’s “Citizen of the Month” for October.
Each month, the Rotary Club recognizes a Lake Region High School student who displays good citizenship and contributes to the school community. The recipient is honored at a Rotary breakfast meeting and is presented a monetary gift.
Parents: Sharon and Douglas Banks Sr.
Sibling: Douglas Banks Jr.
Activities: Leadership group, MET’s program
Community activities: Student Director for the Bridgton Board of Directors, intern for Opportunity Alliance, and volunteer at the Bridgton Community Center
Hobbies: Analyzing music, volunteering, watching way too much Netflix and HuluPlus
Future plans: I plan to go to a four-year college to major in nursing and become a diabetic educator with a minor in business or early childhood education.
Schools that you have or will apply to: Saint Joseph’s, University of Southern Maine, Husson University, Elm’s College, University of Maine, Southern Maine Community College, Central Maine Community College
What is your favorite class? I love English because I get to show my creative and artistic side through creative writing, slam poetry and lyric writing.
What is your toughest class? Physics, because it is its own language that I am currently having a problem understanding.
How do you balance your class work and your extracurricular activities? It’s a balancing act that I figure out day-by-day, but my secret it constantly making lists of things I need to do and checking them off as I go.
What is the biggest challenge high school students face today? I think kids in school nowadays struggle with prioritizing. Teens can’t decide what’s more important and by the time we realize it, it may be too late.
Who has inspired you educationally? I have been inspired by many teachers, who have pushed me along the way through tough times academically and out of school — Ms. Sasha Kantro, Mrs. Amy Mayo, Mr. Adam Johnson, Mrs. Sandy Arris, Mr. Bruce Hilton, Ms. Maggie Davis, Mme Linda Freese, Mrs. Karry Joly and last but certainly not least Mr. Jamie Riel. Mr. Riel has pushed me to be the person I am today. He has taught me that when the going gets tough you keep on going and that life is going to keep knocking you down, but you get back up. What I do know now is that when I can’t seem to get back up Mr. Riel will be right there to grab my hand and help me up. He is an inspiration and role model to all and I know that wherever I go, I have a wonderful group of teachers I can count on and to catch me when I fall. Thank you, all of you.