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Student in the Spotlight - Arius Cook
JohnWooden once said, "It's
amazing how much can be
accomplished if no one cares who
gets the credit."This seems to
perfectly describe the philosophy
of SFDHS student, Arius Cook.
In the classroom, out on the
athletic field, and at admissions
or fundraising events,Arius is our
go-to Stallion.
Arius’ parents, David andTina
Renzetti Cook ’81, have instilled
in all four of their children (alumna McKenzie ’12, current Stallions Arius ’13
and McKayla ’15, and future Stallion, Ian ’17) the importance of volunteering.
And,Arius has definitely taken their message to heart. As soon as he traded his
St. Matthew’s Maroon and Gold in for the Purple
andWhite of SFDHS, he immediately signed on as
manager for the Football team, working with the
Freshmen andVarsity teams in the fall, and then the
Varsity Boys Basketball team that winter. By junior
year Arius added Baseball to his resume, keeping
the scorebook, and thus becoming a member of
the 2012 State Championship team. He also has
done a great deal of work over the past two years
for the Institutional Advancement andAdmission
offices —many times giving up his study hall to
help put together video presentations, test and
run the Casino Royale live auction software, or
make updates to the school’s scholarship display. He even designed a “Stallion
Photobooth” this fall for the Middle School Dance to provide souvenirs for
the 7th and 8th grade students.Admissions Director Julie Barber notes, “Arius
prefers to be a “behind the scenes” leader and has assisted in the development of
a number of programs that have improved both communication and marketing
in the Admissions Office. His knowledge and experience with Apple products
(iPad, iMovie, Mac) have been an incredible asset this year with the introduction
of some of the new programs at DeSales.”
Next fall Arius hopes to attendThe Ohio State University, and eventually fulfill
a lifelong dream of working with OSU Football team. While at SFDHS, he
has already received a small taste of the career path he plans to pursue: Sports
Management or Marketing. When he moves on next year,Arius will take with
him fond memories: celebrating All Saints Day Mass, Football Friday Nights
and State Championships, going to sporting events to support his classmates,
collecting cans for the Canned Food Drive, and volunteering to ‘Deck the
Halls’ during SpiritWeek. He will also remember all the great times spent
with his mentors from the SFDHS Coaching staff, most notably Coach
Wiggins, Coach Cromwell, Coach Berndt, Coach Neubert, Coach Delfino,
Coach Albright, and Coach Gischel.
Although Arius is quite humble about all the wonderful things he does to
help students and staff on a daily basis, it is the testimony from the teachers
and staff which truly illustrates the impact this young man has had on our
community (at right).
Arius has been a tremendous blessing to the entire
DeSales community. He has taken his talents and put
them to work for the betterment of the school in so many
different departments. To me, Arius epitomizes what
makes St. Francis DeSales so great! ~Tom Neubert,
Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach
Arius serves as a true model of service for all in our
community. His giving spirit serves as an inspiration
for all who are blessed to work with him. Our school
and community have been blessed by his many gifts.
~Principal Dan Garrick
Words can not explain how much Arius means to our
staff. And we’re the ones who were supposed to make
an impact on his life...he will never know how much
he has impacted mine! ~Brian Cromwell, PE Teacher,
Assistant Football Coach, Head Girls Basketball Coach
I have known Arius since he was in 2
nd
grade, and he
has always been so unassuming with his abilities and
talents. He is always willing to give help when needed
-- usually when no one is looking. I am reminded of
the quote: Character is really how you act when no
one is watching. That really embodies the attitude
and behavior of Arius. ~Sheila Shelby, English Teacher
Arius took the lead in all media production for the
recently completed senior election project. He guided
other students and selflessly gave his own time to work
on the websites and videos. ~Ruth Seggerson, Social
Studies Teacher
In 4 years of working with Arius I have never heard him
say the word “no.” It doesn’t matter what I ask him to do
to help our team and program. Whether the task be big
or small, self-fulfilling or menial, the answer from him is
always “yes.” We do not have a more vital TEAMmember
than Arius Cook. ~Blair Albright, English Teacher and
Head Boys Basketball Coach
Arius has done so much for me and our program over
the past 4 years. He has meant a lot to us. Our
program will greatly miss Arius. ~Ryan Wiggins, PE
Teacher and Head Football Coach
Arius saved me during my first season of being the Site
Manager for Fall Sports. If it were not for him helping
me with the score board, getting jammed doors to open,
making sure the National Anthem was played at the right
time, and sometimes just simply keeping me company,
I don’t know what I would have done. I truly appreciate
him! ~Lisa Monroe, Intervention Specialist and Fall
Sports Site Manager
Arius Cook is that kid that you can always count on,
no matter what you ask of him. He is dedicated to the
school and supports every aspect of it. Heck, I thought
he worked here! ~Lori Arnett, English Teacher and
Theatre Director