Senior

Standouts

Whether it’s in school or during his free time, Culbertson High School senior Zachary Kirby has a gift when it comes to music.

He has been a member of Culbertson High School’s choir for the past four years. Through auditions, he earned All-State honors in two of those years.

Outside of the classroom, Kirby keeps playing either the guitar or piano for family and friends or writing his own songs. He has received an offer to play with a band.

“I eat, sleep and breathe music,” Kirby laughed.

He said his favorite type of songs is “older music” such as songs by Elvis Presley or Dean Martin. “Mostly because it’s real instruments.”

His favorite class is elective music. “It gives me time to write my own music and practice stuff for people,” he said.

How many songs has he written? “So many that I can’t even count,” Kirby said. “I write stuff every day.”

Although he doesn’t have a favorite song, he explains he writes about his own life experiences or challenges that he has gone through.

His favorite teacher in Culbertson is Russell Pfeifer.

“It’s pretty special,” Kirby said of Culbertson. “I admire the staff. They go so above and beyond.”

In after-school hours, Kirby has worked for VAl-Am in Culbertson for three years. He calls himself the “head chief” because he says he’s the best of cleaning up the fryers. He said the store’s buffalo ranch “is pretty amazing.”

Kirby plans to attend Minot State University and have a music-related major.