Hoover is known for its great athletes, club leaders and scholars, but what about someone who fills all of these categories? Meet Henry Paz, a senior at Hoover High School. Whether it’s a Summa graduate, varsity athlete, Link Crew leader or Mock Trial participant, he always has something to occupy his time.
“Wearing a lot of hats can be really stressful, and I have a hard time balancing it sometimes,” Paz said. “I’m not quite sure what keeps me motivated but I just try and take it day by day. It has been hard to balance because sometimes you get home from a game at ten [at night] and then realize you have an essay to write too. There have been a lot of late nights but I’ve tried to be proactive with my work and get things done ahead of time. I have faced burnout from all of my challenging courses and have had personal problems as well. I am continuing to work through them but I have grown to be more appreciative of the little things around me.”
A challenge is familiar to Paz but also something he welcomes with open arms.
“I have always tried to challenge myself academically, which is why I opted for the AP route with biology, chemistry and physics, to name a few,” he said. “These classes pushed me and were difficult, but it was nice knowing that my classmates were there and we struggled together through it.”
Paz is not only recognized by his fellow students but also by many teachers. Mr. Casey Clark, an English teacher at Hoover High School, shares the impression he had.
“He has a great attitude,” he said. “Just ready to go. Every single day, it doesn’t matter whether he’s ready to go every day.”
Clark was not just Paz’s English teacher but also his Mock Trial adviser and coach, and Paz’s high-achieving attitude was not
absent.
“He was doing an opening statement and he kind of got mixed up in himself,” he said. “He stuck it out to the end and even the judges were like, ‘wow, most kids would give up’ but what stood out to me is the next year he was 100% and all those things were gone.”
Paz spoke highly of his time on the Mock Trial team.
“Mock Trial has helped me greatly with my public speaking skills, which have been lackluster to say the least,” he said. “Also, I have developed my cooperation skills with my fellow team members as we tackle the case together.”
Academic strives didn’t end with Clark and Mock Trial for Paz. He is also a part of the biomedical program at Hoover. Mr. Nick Plazak, an anatomy and biomedical teacher, shares his impression.
“Henry has consistently demonstrated strong academic performance in the biomedical program,” he said. “He not only meets expectations but often exceeds them, showing mastery in practical application. His grades reflect a deep understanding of complex topics and a solid commitment to excellence. Henry stands out for his intellectual curiosity, resilience and keen analytical thinking. He approaches challenges with enthusiasm and demonstrates a natural ability to problem solve, ask insightful questions and connect concepts across disciplines. His focus and maturity distinguish him as a top-tier student in a rigorous academic setting.”
In fact, Plazak sees Paz as so much of a top-tier student that he shows his work to other students.
“I think a lab we did with a nematode’s exposure to serotonin and his ability to create a Google Sheet that had all of the calculations set up for all of the groups and his attention to detail on that lab was awesome,” he said. “I actually still use that template of the calculations in my class today.”
Paz’s achievements and attitude are not just seen in the classroom but also on the field. Paz has played both soccer and baseball for Hoover High School. Mr. Jon Zahn, Paz’s head coach for soccer, continues to amplify Paz’s motivation to improve himself.
“Henry always showed constant progression from year to year both as a player and a teammate,” he said. “With each passing season, he continued to excel in all aspects of the soccer program, including his academics.”
Though it wasn’t just his skill that helped his team but also his attitude toward his team.
“Henry is a natural leader,” Zahn said. “I think players would follow his lead with effort and focus. I also think players reacted to his calmness to help them not overreact to the moment.”
Paz’s head coach was not the only one who noticed his leadership but also his past coach, Mr. Charles Bond.
“Henry is a very consistent individual and each day he brought that consistency, he contributed to the team much leadership and sportsmanship,” he said. “When coaching Henry as a JV player, I demanded a lot from him positionally and put him in many different situations alongside different teammates and his effort, dedication and commitment to the team was the same every time. He was a great example to his teammates.”
With every graduate there is potential for great success and with someone like Paz, it is no surprise that he will have a great future ahead of him. Plazak comments on his excitement for Paz.
“You just know you’ll be hearing about his awesome accomplishments ten years down the road,” he said. “I look forward to seeing it happen and smile because I had an opportunity to teach one of the best in the Class of 2025.”
