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He smacked his hand into the steering wheel, aggravated by the blaring of his horn as he waited for traffic to move. He considered himself to be a patient person, but there was no time to lose. He was torn between two events and tried to divide attention evenly and work out the problem as best he knew how. Junior Ethan Mendicino has a way of finding himself in situations like this often, because he simply doesn’t stop moving.
The day he was stuck in traffic happened to be the same day as both a solo and ensemble performance for percussion and choir, as well as a rehearsal for the high school theater awards. He devoted hours of time to both his character Nino in NS’s production of Amelie as well as the ensemble he was a part of. He prioritized ensemble in this case, dropping off an actor in his place at the awards, but ended up being late because of the unexpected traffic.
Mendicino’s dedication to multiple extracurricular outlets doesn’t stop him from applying work and diligence to each activity he finds joy in. Although he could have given up and driven home after the angering reality that he would be extremely late, he instead made it to what performances he had left to show up for himself and others. In the performance he was there for they received perfect scores.
“The word that comes to mind is diligence. It’s not easy, and a lot of the time I do falter academically when it comes to involvement with extracurriculars,” Mendicino said. “However, I do think at the end of the day it all comes down to being diligent and having a mindset of I am going to accomplish both. I think if anyone puts their mind to a goal that they have they will be able to accomplish it.”
One aspect in his life that requires Mendicino to stretch his time and have a mindset geared towards accomplishment is the effort he applies towards drama. Being in the musical since freshman year Mendicino has played Benny Southstreet in “Guys and Dolls,” Nino in “Amelie,” and Harold Hill in the most recent “The Music Man.” His love for performing makes every ounce of work worth it each time.
“One of the best things is hearing the audience laugh at the jokes you’ve been rehearsing for months,” Mendicino said. “Being able to bring that joy to other people, even if it’s only for a moment, even if their lives aren’t changed afterwards, it’s still great to be able to make people smile.”
His effort to make others happy also shows in a different type of performance, which is anything and everything revolving around music. After starting to learn instruments at a young age as well as watching his parents’ passion for music, he placed a high emphasis on it and has been growing his talents ever since. Mendicino plays piano, drums, guitar, and sings. He applies these skills to a multitude of programs at NS and impacts others through the art form that music is.
“Music is so integral to every part of our lives. Regardless of your race, or your culture, or where you live, music is in your life,” Mendicino said. “A lot of the strongest pieces of poetry and a lot of the most important essays that we have ever written as a species have been in the forms of music. Music is a way to express ourselves.”
His accomplishments in theater and music have impacted not only the spectators of a variety of audiences but also his peers who get to work with him and see a true glimpse into his mind and personality.
“He’s very aspirational. He has very lofty goals, and I think he has a lot of motivation to do them,” junior Logan Martin said. “I think that’s something that sets him apart from some other people. He also just has a unique way of looking at the world, he has a very unique perspective on things.”
Mendicino has gained his unique perspective through many experiences, but one formative one was him moving here from his hometown Midvale just before seventh grade.
“I cried for months, and I screamed, and I was so angry,” Mendicino said. “But I think what I’ve learned since is there are a lot of things in life I can’t necessarily control. And I have to look at those things with a positive lens, with optimism, and say I’m gonna make the best of it.”
Throughout his adaptation into middle school, he still worked hard in band and caught the attention of NS music instructor Timothy Kidder. He has been able to work with Mendicino and push him to excel since the beginning of his freshman year to now.
“He’s been really cool. When I tell him something, he just accepts it,” Tim Kidder said. “I think it’d be really easy for someone with his talents to just question every teacher and he has not been that way. When I say something he just tries it and does it my way. So he’s been a really good student for me.”
Mendicino tries his best to use what he has for the good of others and lift people up when he gets the chance.
“He makes me proud nearly every day, but in one particular circumstance when he found out about a devastating fire at a friend’s house, he immediately donated all of his savings including prom money to that stricken family,” Franc Mendicino, Ethan’s father said.
Mendicino hopes to leave a legacy at NS that teaches students to pursue their dreams and find value in themselves.
“Even if only one person in the entire student body can be more in touch with themselves because of what I have done, or what I tried to do, or what I am hoping to do in the future, then I have accomplished my goal,” Mendicino said. “Because at the end of the day all I want is for people to understand that they are amazing.”
