Marwan Ghanem: Exemplifying Fair Grove’s Expectations

Marwan Ghanem (12) is a student at Fair Grove High School who is living life to its extremes from the classroom to the field. 

Ghanem is extremely involved in school events. He is in football, track, and SADD. He also works at his father’s restaurant: That Lebanese Place. The more extracurricular activities and clubs you’re involved in the more hectic life becomes. Striving for balance is essential with a schedule as full as his. 

“Calculus and Spanish are my hardest classes…” Ghanem detailed. He is also in College English. For his senior year he hasn’t taken the easy path. Instead he is pushing himself to new limits. 

Susanne Feldman teaches AP calculus and has Ghanem this year in her class. She has learned Ghanem’s work ethic and character traits. Feldman expressed, “He always speaks his mind… he is not afraid to ask questions.” This curiosity to understand how things work has helped him get as far as he has. He has taken some of the hardest classes Fair Grove has to offer such as Physics. 

Sports have also helped push himself. Ghanem stated, “I would say sports motivate me in school, and trying to better myself as a person motivates me in extracurricular activities.” He has excelled especially in track going to sectionals last year. This year he is running the 4 x 200, 4 x 400, and the open 400. 

Ghanem has motivated the people around him and pushed them to improve themselves. One person he has affected is Liam Draper (10) who has known him for three years. They are both involved in track. Draper stated, “One of the biggest things Marwan has helped me with was in track when he helped get better at the 400.” 

Ghanem values his friendships. He has made many close connections through extracurriculars. He explained, “My favorite thing about school would most likely be sports and classes with friends.” 

Looking beyond high school Ghanem has big plans. Feldman expressed, “He has plans to become an engineer.” His many science and math classes will help him pursue this career. Classes such as physics, biology, geometry, pre-calculus, and calculus are all important. 

Ghanem stated, “I am going to go to MSU and am entering into their S&T program for automotive engineering.” Hopefully, this career will suit his detail oriented mind. He will have ABET accreditation should he succeed. 

Ghanem has learned so much over the course of his high school career. He has made the most of every moment. With all these experiences, he has some advice for underclassmen. Ghanem shared, “Go for what you believe in and do not let others hold you back.”