We walked in for yet another day of Principles of Engineering, our classroom being as hot and humid as ever with the summer sun doing its best to heat up the shop. School was almost over and we finished our last project ages ago. 

But today was different; instead of going to lunch, we all showed up to class 30 minutes early and got ready to cook. Junior Jack Milliken, the origin of this idea, had brought most of what we needed: a small grill, hotdogs and buns, and even some condiments. As dumb as it was, it was one of the most fun lunches I’ve ever had.

Milliken is a lot of things and has a lot going on in his life. He’s an eldest son, an older brother, a hard worker, a great student, and an amazing friend. I personally have not known him for as long as others, but since becoming friends, my life has definitely changed for the better.

Milliken is one of the hardest working guys I know, and there’s plenty to support that. He’s involved with much more than I thought was even possible, and he still manages to balance it. For instance, Milliken is both the Metals Foremen and Production Manager for Spartan Manufacturing. Furthermore, he is going to be the future president of our school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. If that wasn’t enough, he’s the co-coordinator of the youth program at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum!

Milliken has been able to maintain a 4.0 GPA for the entirety of his high school career, and I’m confident he’ll graduate with it as well. What makes that even more impressive is that he challenges himself with hard classes, particularly “Advanced Placements” or APs, as well as courses like Spartan Manufacturing. But, even those aren’t an issue for him.

“AP Physics is pretty tough, other than that, Spartan Manufacturing is hard in a good way, it challenges me in a way I wanna show up and just get stuff done,” says Milliken.

I’m also taking and have taken some of the same APs as him, and let me tell you, they’re no joke. One of Milliken’s closest friends, junior Marcus Madsen, agrees that Milliken is all that.

“Jack and I met in elementary school and we’ve stayed friends ever since. Jack has a very outgoing personality in school, and people can sometimes perceive him as a rude person, but he is one of the nicest people I know,” says Madsen.

Milliken is hands down one of the most impactful guys I know, in and around Superior, and I’m lucky to know him.