From Normal Student to Leader
Holding his trumpet, Pierce White poses with a smile. After lots of hard work, White proves himself worthy of multiple far-reach leadership positions, such as Beta Executive President and Trumpet Section Leader.
“Hi, my name is Pierce White, Executive President of Beta,” Senior Pierce White said, introducing himself to all Beta students during the induction ceremony. White has shown numerous leadership qualities throughout his high school years and has gained many achievements through all his involvement in school.
“My sister was one of my biggest inspirations to take a step further in involvement and leadership,” White said. “She was Beta Executive President her senior year, and even though she could choose the next president, she refused. But I was lucky enough to be chosen, among plenty of other students, by Ms. Litwak to take up a big role.”
Beta, overall, is a difficult club to be invited to. It is an academic honor society with a strong emphasis on leadership and community service. To build his experience as Executive President, White took up the Administration President of Beta his junior year and added to his community service with Metropolitan Ministries, despite already being in the range for the Florida Academic Scholars Bright Futures Scholarship.
“When I joined Beta Board, I planned on influencing others to help the community around us, especially at places like Metropolitan Ministries, where I’ve volunteered for a couple of years now,” White said. “I also really wanted to help sponsor Ms. Litwak. She’s done a lot for the program and has helped us tremendously grow as a society.”
Beyond Beta, Pierce White is also involved in multiple other honor societies, such as the Science Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honor Society), Tri-M Music Honor Society, Social Studies Honor Society, National Honor Society, and Delphi Service Club. Additionally, he has been selected for even more leadership positions, such as Treasurer for Tri-M and Vice President of Delphi.
“There are many students that go after these positions every year, and it becomes difficult to be chosen for the position or even be one of the final choices,” White says. “I‘m extremely grateful that I was chosen for these roles, and I‘m glad I can go out and help inspire other people to try and reach their goals and make a difference around the school.”
Pierce White is also the Trumpet Section Leader for the Plant Band. White has been involved in the band program since sixth grade and has placed in the top band (Wind Ensemble), Jazz Band, Marching Band, and the Competitive Trumpet Ensemble, an ensemble of around five trumpet players, since his freshman year.
“I think it’s crazy that I was even placed in such high and competitive ensembles, especially the Trumpet Ensemble,” White said. “I was inspired by people like Cal Richards, a senior when I was a freshman. He was an incredible player and easily played parts just so out of range of the other players. He was a nice guy and helped all of us when we struggled, and I knew that I wanted to be just like he was.”
White has also made it into the All-County Ensemble since seventh grade. The All-County Ensemble allows the top musicians from the county to experience music-making in a large ensemble of students from around the county. It is highly competitive and challenging to get into the program, and White has gotten top chair placements every year since. Additionally, he has performed multiple times in Solo and Ensemble, soloing himself and with Trumpet Ensemble, earning superiors, the highest score, in every performance and has even been chosen to perform at Districts.
“I plan on progressing my leadership after I graduate and applying my skills to my career in the future,” White said. “I hope to go to the University of Florida just like my parents and sister. I’m thankful for the support from my friends and family; otherwise, I don’t think I would be where I am now. I hope once I graduate, I will keep inspiring others to do just as much. Even though I have been involved in so much in high school, I have met many people and am now really close with them. I am happy that I put in all the hard work because it all pays off in the end.”
For a look at the clubs Pierce White is involved in:
https://instagram.com/planthsbeta?igshid=YWJhMjlhZTc=