As the bell rings, many students spill out into the hallways talking about the day’s events.  One senior, Nolan Hauck, is an exception to this daily routine. Drawstring bag strung tightly over his shoulders, he walks confidently, cutting through the line of students making his way towards the weight room. As he enters, Hauck feels a sense of satisfaction coupled with the clang of barbells. Hauck sets down his bag and takes out a pair of shoes, puts them on, laces them up and prepares to get to work.

“It’s fun to get stronger and lift more weights which allows me to go to national competitions,” said Hauck. “The ultimate goal is to compete in order to qualify for a national team. It’s cool to see guys in those competitions that are the same age who can lift more weight than me.”

Helping him to recognize his dream were his coaches Ben Overcamp and Anthony Grana. Back in sixth grade they helped Hauck into the sport of Olympic weightlifting, helping him develop his skills according to Hauck.

“Both of my coaches are very qualified,” Hauck said. “I have definitely gained a lot from them coaching me. I wouldn’t be anywhere without their guidance.”

According to Overcamp, Nolan is an exceptionally supportive teammate and role model. He shows up to the gym consistently every day always ready to compete.

Hauck does not only put in lots of work into weightlifting but the classroom as well. Hauck earned the National Merit scholarship for his high scores on his PSAT and NMSQT standardized tests, which were in the tenth percentile. The scholarship came from several classes one including Advanced Placement U.S. History taught by David Olderman, whom Hauck credits with helping him manage time.

“He was in a very smart class and he was one of the reasons why,”  Olderman said. “Nolan had a couple people he competed with throughout the year. I believe that pushed him to do that much better.”