Ethan Cramer, a name known to few, belongs to a boy who has been walking the halls of Erie high school for the past four years. This year, Cramer’s smile, though still hidden by a mask, has been seen through the growth of empathy and genuine kindness to others. 

Cramer moved to Colorado from California at the young age of one, and has lived here ever since. For Cramer, up until eighth grade it was just his parents, his sister, and himself, though that year the Cramer family started the foster program, later adopting two other children. 

Through his experiences with the foster care system, Cramer has learned the importance of two virtues. “Patience and empathy,”  he says, “Just overall seeing the child learning and to be more understanding.” 

For teachers his patience hasn’t gone unnoticed either. “I think that because he’s growing up and being raised in that environment, he is so unbelievably patient.” Kaitlyn Gentert-Wart, most commonly known as Ms. G, says as she finishes the fall semester of her third year as his history teacher. She adds, “If you don’t understand something, or something’s taking a long time, if you’re stressed or whatever, he is just  calm, cool and collected.” 

Throughout Cramer’s middle school and high school career, his academic portfolio has been marked with excellence, particularly in subjects like math and science. His love for stem topics have been with him since an early age, “As a kid I have always kind of liked math and science, and as much as a challenge that might come from that.” He says. 

Through the years his love for stem classes has led him to pursue both of the engineering pathways, such as aerospace and computer science. Though both are interests for Cramer, he also explains, “I enjoy pushing myself as well, that’s also why I have been doing so much, like track and field.” 

Cramer’s pursuits inside and outside the classroom don’t go unnoticed by his teachers, as well as other students. “Ethan is a perfectionist,” Wart remarks. “Ethan has incredibly high standards for himself. He is kind, he’s observant, he’s quiet, and this year empathetic.” 

Over the past three years Wart has been able to watch him grow. She says, “In [his]sophomore year I have never seen him more stressed out… because he holds himself to such high standards, he stressed out all the time because he was just devastated that something didn’t go his way, or if he didn’t get the perfect score.” 

But Cramer has grown since then, “I’m learning to cope with failure, and that there’s a need to learn from that.” He says, also admitting  another lesson he learned this year: that he is a capable person. 

Cramer over the past four years, admits that he has also grown in a social aspect. “In my own words I am the most extroverted introvert ever. I love talking to people now, but it just drains me, and in comparison to freshman year [I was] very quiet.” 

Though during Cramer’s sophomore year stress had marked his character, Wart explains that something changed. “[I] see him be able to still have high standards for himself, but a healthier high standard now he knows he’s capable of. But he also values the process of hard work.” 

Between the acts of hard work, and personal achievements Cramer has also stood out in his connection with others. “He just reads the room, whatever you need.” Wart says.

Cramer over the years has also found a love for music. He plays viola in the Erie orchestra, as well as for the auditioned St Vrain Honor orchestra. He first played viola when he was in sixth grade, “I started mainly because I was curious, and at the same time, I knew that viola wasn’t the most common instrument,” Cramer explains. 

For him music goes deeper than something you just make, or something to challenge yourself on, to him it also brings joy. “Seeing others when they are happy is truly something special,” Cramer wrote in one of his college application essays. He later goes on to explain how you can invoke different emotions by changing how you play a certain note. Cramer concludes, “This is why I love music, and consequently orchestra.” 

This love that he describes for music effects others as well. “Ethan possesses the most important traits of a successful musician: he is dedicated to constantly improving, he is receptive to feedback and critique, and he seeks out additional opportunities to deepen his musical experiences.” Monica Smiley, the orchestra teacher at Erie High School says. 

Smiley also recognizes him as a leader within the classroom, saying, “His section can count on him to prepare his part and to lead them in the right direction. He never relies on anyone to carry his weight musically.” 

Smiley also adds that Ethan puts in more effort than the average student, “Ethan is always willing to assist his peers during class and outside of school hours.” 

Cramer plans on taking the lessons and growth that he has gained and achieved during high school, and putting them into use during his post high school years. “Since I am applying to really prestigious colleges,” he says, “I’m inherently going to get a lot of challenges and since I already experience the stress that comes with pushing myself.” 

Between the classroom, and his pursuits outside of school Ethan Cramer, has made a difference. A difference which compels others to think with hope that he just might do something good for the world. He pursues growth in every aspect of his life, and has many convinced that he will continue to surprise as he continues his education into college, and the world beyond.