With so many activities, deadlines and grades their students juggle every day, the IB program makes it difficult for most to enter and even harder to finish. With all the classes having their own requirements and assignments that need to be done, it can be a struggle to stay on tasks and complete everything on time while doing everything else that happens in life. Of course, for junior Ethan Levy, it is about how to manage it and stay on top.

Originally from New Jersey, Levy moved to Georgia in 2010 and settled in the state from then on. Freshman year he joined the swim team and is now involved in many aquatic activities including water polo. He volunteers in the YMCA in the Adaptive Swimming Program for children who have disabilities that are wanting to swim. Apart from being a member of the swim team and Robotics club, Levy also volunteers for his synagogue.

“I would say one of my greatest accomplishments comes from my MYP project,” he said. “Not necessarily its scale relative to other MYP projects, but its scale to me because what I did was I helped my synagogue research their history for a project that they were doing and I aided them in compiling the information.”

Apart from extracurricular activities, Levy is also in IB DP student. That in itself is an impressive feat to commit to, though standing out as one of the top North Atlanta student is even more so. To Levy, the most difficult skill to master is time management. It ends up being a balancing act between all the classes as well as anything outside. Of course, to the lucky few that do have social lives, spending time with friends and enjoying life is also a big part of the high school experience. Time management is a rare strength, but it can also be very rewarding. The IB curriculum is designed for students who show dedication and the ability to prioritize more urgent things over others in order to get tasks done on time. It can become rather intense, but working with others can make a big difference. “If you reach out for help, then you’ll find someone, whether its a teacher or a student that will help you accomplish your goals as well as your understanding of the problem and how to fix it,” said Levy.

In his spare time, he loves spending time with family and friends, watching films, and building with Legos. Though it is still early to decide, he is looking for several colleges up North such as Northwestern University in Chicago and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. “In college, you’re trying to find your place,” he said. “And I haven’t really found mine yet. But I still have time to do so.”

At the end of the day, juggling IB along with every other possible spice in life is nothing to sneeze at, but it is also about the person that you strive to be. “I try to supply the golden rule and treat others how you’d want to be treated and so that’s what I believe and strive to do and try to be there for anyone who needs it,” he said.

Levy had shown a true example of what it means to be a North Atlanta Warrior and that from here on out, the only way left to go is up.