- Carey School
- Homepage
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Houston Hennefer
By JoEllen Collins for The Weekly Sun
Houston Hennefer, a senior at Carey High School, divides his time between school activities, sports and a family that shares his interests.
As senior class president, Hennefer is spending a great deal of time on activities involving this last year, appreciating the friends he has grown up with as a native of Carey.
Academically, he is concentrating on his studies.
“I am working to improve my current GPA of 3.2,” he said. “In my first couple of years of high school, I goofed around a bit, but now I am doing better and especially enjoying English and history.”
Hennefer has gained skills in writing, which he plans to continue doing.
“I’d love to write about sports,” he said. “Last year, I took Mr. Smith’s publications class, and we worked on the school newspaper. I was able to write some sports articles, which really inspired me. I love learning all about sports statistics and think this will help me later in life if I can be a sports reporter. Playing football and basketball has helped me understand these games, so it seems natural to pursue my dream.”
Hennefer has played both football and basketball this year, winning the title of Offensive Player of the Year as a quarterback on the Carey team, which won the 1A Division II state championship. He is currently a guard on the basketball team.
“I think it is a bit early in the season to evaluate how well we will do, but I feel at this stage that we can be really strong,” Hennefer said. “I have been lucky to play for four years in a community that, while small, is very sports-centered. Our players feel such support at all of our games. That is why I feel our small student body has excelled in competition with larger pools of athletes.”
Hennefer’s family is active in sports. His uncle is a high school basketball coach in Logan, Utah, where Hennefer hopes to attend college.
“I plan to do my first two years at CSI and then attend Utah State University. I like the environment there,” he said. “One of my mentors is typical of the people who support us. My grandpa, Dean Brown, has attended every one of my games.”
Hennefer’s family ties are strong. He has a brother, 11, and a sister, 3, and enjoys the outdoors with his family.
“My father is a guide, and often around football season we hunt elk and deer,” he said. “My grandparents have a cabin in Island Park in eastern Idaho. We also camp a lot in Stanley, which is such a beautiful part of Idaho.
“My family means the most to me. When I was only 10, we experienced a major tragedy; it was devastating and terribly sad, but my friends and family helped motivate me to get through it, cherish every day and live my life to the fullest.”