Ryan Barrus, a senior at Powell High School, is a superhuman when it comes to his academics and his extracurriculars, but what made him this way, and how has he grown?

Question: Because you have seen Ryan in and outside of the classroom, what is one trait that you think he has that will benefit him in the future?

Tennis Coach Brandon Preator: “One trait that Ryan Barrus possesses that will help him inside and outside of the classroom is his tenacity. Everything that Ryan does, he does really well. He does the best that he can. He never does anything halfway, same in tennis, same in Spanish. So you just know that he’s always going to put forth his best effort.”

By honing his skills during practice and on his own, Ryan was ranked #2 on the 2025 Boys Varsity Panther tennis team. His joyful and fun attitude on and off the court led him to earn the “most inspirational” award.

Question: What’s a similarity he has on the court and in the classroom?

Coach Preator: “Ryan’s a good guy, like he treats people well, and he’s kind and honest. I feel like you can trust Ryan.”

As demonstrated by his “most inspirational” award, Ryan is known for his upbeat and goofy personality. He puts smiles on not only his classmates’ faces but also his teachers and coworkers.

Question: What’s one way that you’ve seen him grow?

Coach Preator: “Oh, specifically in tennis, just because that was more recent than I’ve had him in class, I saw Ryan really dig in and work, or spend the time to work on his tennis game and improve. He was a decent tennis player in his earlier years, but this year, he really put in a lot more work, and you could tell, just like the way he played the game. He’s a very smart player. He thinks about tennis like he’s very strategic. That’s one other thing about Ryan, too, is he’s very smart, very thoughtful about he was the same way in basketball. He just really thinks about things more so than, I think, the average athlete.”

By putting in effort and hard work, Ryan is recognized by his coaches and teachers both on the court and in the classroom. His strategic mindset and abilities really set him apart, a defining personality trait that extends far beyond the game.

Question: How do you think you’ve grown throughout your high school years?

Ryan: “I think I’ve grown a lot, truly, through hardships, through struggles, you know that’s how you grow, through your mistakes. I’m not perfect, you know, I’ve grown emotionally, academically, but most importantly, I’ve grown through my relationships.

While most students choose to focus on their academics during their high school years, Ryan believes that true self-happiness is one of the most important things in life.

Question: How have your priorities changed?

Ryan: “You know, priorities are a very important thing in high school, and it’s important to set them straight in order to stay on top of things. But I think the number one priority is family first and foremost. While academics is really important, you must prioritize setting time aside with your family and try to, you know, prioritize being happy, because sometimes you get so overwhelmed with with everything going,”