Hillsboro co-valedictorian inspired by mountains

By ALEXANDER SIMONE

Staff writer

Jorge Hanschu’s passion the mountains passion for the outdoors will take him to Utah this fall.

There, he will attend Southern Utah University and major in outdoor recreation and biology with the goal of becoming a hunting guide.

“I always loved the mountains,” said the potential Hillsboro valedictorian. “Sweating through 115 degrees in Kansas is not my ideal place. The weather is beautiful; the scenery is beautiful, so those places that have miles of wilderness just appeal to me.”

Hanschu’s interest was sparked after he tore his ACL and spent that summer working at his parents’ Family Insurance business, he said.

“I decided I never wanted to work an office job,” he said. “That was not for me and I did not enjoy it. All I could do, since I couldn’t play sports, was hunt and fish.”

Hanschu is one of three Hillsboro seniors graduating with a 4.0 GPA, alongside Jenna Hinerman, Eva Franz. Sarah Diener came in just behind the three as salutatorian.

He wanted to take animal biology at Hillsboro High School, but couldn’t because he planned for his studies to focus on medicine, Hanschu said.

“Originally, I set myself down a medical path because I wanted to be a vet,” he said. “Then I realized I didn’t want to go to school for eight years.”

Medical courses provided him with knowledge ofthe human body, a boon for any wilderness guide, Hanschu said.

“Even though I didn’t take the medical path all the way through, it was helpful to know the basics of anatomy and how the body works,” he said.