Mr. Bickes always reminds his students to be extraordinary, even the ACP Alumni. Cortez Schneck, Class of 2017 graduate, recently reminded Mr. Bickes of how a few words can be extremely inspirational.

Cortez (pictured left)  recently competed against 24 of the world’s best bowlers at the World Bowling Youth Championship. In an interview, he explained how he won the gold medal and that his “eyes watered up a little” because he realized everything he had prepared for finally paid off. He then reminisced on how he started bowling, saying “I first started bowling when I was about ten years old… I have always loved curving a bowling ball; there is something about it that has always intrigued me.”

Cortez has come a long way from when he first started bowling. When asked about how long he had been preparing for this event he said, “I have been preparing for this event since I was a freshman in high school and to be honest…I go to bowling tourneys on the weekend to make sure I can still preform under high stress and pressure situations.”

After his tournament, Cortez described how he wanted to celebrate with his friends and family for his extraordinary accomplishment. At the end of the interview, Cortez had some advice for students in high school to follow before going off to college: “My advice to all students of ACP before going off to college is to make sure you have fun with your friends now. Go out to as many school events as possible and get involved. Cherish the last few months you have with your friends because before you know it you may be saying goodbye as you head off to different schools.”

Knights, Cortez made his legacy here at ACP for earning multiple accomplishments during his high school bowling career, and he is still pursuing his passion through his college adventure. Mr. Bickes’s words are powerful, for they inspire our entire student body daily, but we are not the only ones. Cortez’s adventure is extraordinary, and we should all celebrate it, for as Mr. Bickes says, “the sun never sets on a Knight”.