Full Name: Zachariah Heupel

What school do you attend?

Cookeville High School

Tell us about yourself.

The first and most important thing about me is that I am a Christian. I am also a musician, and I hope to pursue music as a career after college. In my free time, I perform in musicals both with my high school and my community theatre.

What is your greatest strength, and why?

My greatest strength is my willingness to serve whenever and wherever I am needed. I would consider this my biggest strength because it sets an example to others of how they can lead and serve others and helps better the people around me.

What is your greatest weakness, and why?

My greatest weakness is procrastination. I tend to slack off and do work at the last minute, but I counter this by working hard when I do start working and planning out when I am going to do work so that I get it done on time. Procrastination is my greatest weakness because it has caused me to turn work in late and get bad grades in school.

What skills do you need to learn to turn your greatest weakness into your greatest strength?

I need to learn to better manage my time to turn that weakness into my greatest strength, even if it means cancelling plans to go do homework.

What is the biggest challenge you have overcome, and what did you learn from that?

The biggest challenge I have overcome is depression, which plagued my life for five years. From it, I learned that I am not worthless and that I have a bright future.

Why do you deserve this award?

I deserve this award because I am a hard worker and I want to perform on Broadway in the future. I work for hours every day practicing instruments and singing to better my musical skills. It is my dream to perform on Broadway, and I think that the trip to New York and studying on Broadway would be a great opportunity for me.

Who has been a role model for you, and why?

My chorus teacher Mr. Choate has been a role model for me. He is a very hard worker and he never slows down. His work ethic has inspired me to work harder to perfect what I do more. He also pushes me to get better in everything I do and he is never satisfied until what I do is perfect. This has shown me that no matter how hard I work, I can always do better and it makes me a better musician.

What is the biggest mistake you made, and what have you learned from that mistake?

The biggest mistake that I made was quitting a musical my 8th grade year. I realized that I missed a huge opportunity for me after seeing the show. I learned that even though some things are big commitments and take up lots of time, they are worth it and produce a great product.

What activities are you involved in?

I am involved in the leadership group in my youth group at church, the chamber choir at Cookeville High School, I perform in school musicals and musicals put on by Cookeville Children's Theatre, and I work as a lifeguard at the YMCA.

How are you giving back to others?

I use my musical gifts by playing the bass in church services every week. I also go on mission trips every summer with my church group and work to fulfill the needs of others.

Tell us about a personal achievement that makes you proud, and what you learned from that achievement?

One personal achievement that I am proud of is being proficient on the bass guitar. I have gotten to a point where I feel good about my playing abilities after years of playing. From this, I learned that it takes many hours of practice to become skilled at anything. It also showed me that hard work and hours of practice pays off.

How do you define being a humble person?

I define a humble person as one who does not brag about what they have done, but instead they recognize that they always have room to improve. Despite their achievements, they continue not to bring others down by boosting themselves up, but to congratulate others on their achievements and celebrate those achievements with them.

How do you define servant leadership?

I define servant leadership as helping in whatever capacity a person is able, not for their own gain, but for the gain of a group or for others. Servant leaders set an example through their service, doing hard things when others do not want to. Their serving is infectious and it makes others desire to serve as well.

Is there anything else we should know about you?

You should know that I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to sing at the Ryman and I cannot wait for the concert!