Whiz Kid: Danny Takushi

Name:  Danny Takushi  

Age: 17

Grade: Senior

School:  Niles North High School

Accomplishments: Takushi recently appeared in Niles North's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee portraying the quirky and often goofy William Barfee.

Takushi has been involved with more than 25 school theatre productions, as an actor, director or crew during his time at Niles North. He has also had key roles in Falsettoland, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Rent.

Takushi also directed the production of 1000 Paper Cranes.  On the engineering side, Takushi received a grant from the Green Council  for School Improvement to develop a solar powered lawn mower to be used at Niles North which will dramatically reduce noise and air pollution.  Takushi has also been a trailblazer in using cutting edge engineering software and equipment to design theatre sets and displays.

Key To Awesomeness:  “ I try to do the best I can in all the things that I do. In theatre,  I get a lot of energy and satisfaction when people in the audience thank me and tell me they enjoy my performance,” Takushi said. “I want to change the world for the better. Everything that I learn and do in school is building up to that. ”

“Danny has an incredible thirst for knowledge and information.  During his free periods, he often comes by to volunteer or help out other students," said Ken Albert, Appled Science and Technology adviser. "He is always interested in learning about the latest software or equipment coming through the department.  He also supports his fellow students and is always on the look out to make things better.

"What Danny has done with our department’s resources to build theatre sets has never been done before. Danny has effectively built a bridge between us and the theater department. His maturity and initiative is beyond his years," Albert added.

Theatre Director Tim Ortmann echoes these praises for Takushi, “Danny has been involved in every single production since he was a freshman. That’s 7-8 productions a year and that is astounding unto itself," Ortmann said. "Danny is a strong leader on and off the stage. He played an outstanding role in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as the oddball William Barfee. He has no inhibitions  and is totally self-possessed.”

Danny has yet to decide  where he will be heading to college but he is definitely looking to pursue a career in engineering, he said.

“Danny’s inquisitiveness and creativity will make him one of the cleverest engineers in the country,” Ortmann said.