By By BEN RAYMOND LODE / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- A high achieving Brandywine High School senior is ready to move on to pursue math and science studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Hopkins and his fellow members of the Class of 2003 at Brandywine High School will graduate Sunday at 2 p.m.
What Mark Hopkins is looking most forward to at the university, however, is not having to get up at 6.30 in the morning to go to school anymore.
Hopkins, who throughout his high school career has been on the varsity track team, played varsity soccer, basketball, and this year varsity baseball, as well as having been a Berrien County Math and Science Center student for four years, said the University of Michigan was his first and only choice.
Hopkins, who also played percussion in band and is a National Honor Society and Spanish Club member, said his parents, Doug and Cindy Hopkins, who both went to Ferris State University but have always followed University of Michigan football, influenced his choice merely by their interest in University of Michigan sports.
Hopkins said he has always been interested in physics and chemistry. What he really wants to learn more about, however, is quantum physics.
Quantum physics, he said, is kind of the same work that Einstein pursued.
However, when Hopkins isn't thinking about science, math and quantum physics, he's like most high school students who like to hang out with friends.
Hopkins makes it sound easy to play sports, be in band, excel in school and still have time to hang out with friends.
So it doesn't come as a surprise when he said school has always come easy to him.
During junior high, he said it would take him 5 to 10 minutes to finish his own homework.
Hopkins, however, hasn't always been certain math and science would become his career path.
Last summer, he went to California to attend a leadership youth conference for youth who were interested in becoming attorneys.
Although he won't become an attorney, he is still planning to go to school until he gets his doctorate.
Hopkins said his parents have been his main influence in life. He said they have always told him to do the best he can and be the best he can be.
This summer, which will be his last before starting university, will be filled with part-time work and spending time with friends.