Academic Achiever: Maddox Rader

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - Maddox Rader is a junior at Parkersburg South High School. He participates in four sports and has GPA around 4.1.

Maddox says his academic success really took off in the sixth grade: “In sixth grade I had a teacher named Mr. Vierheller and he really changed my mindset on school. He really got me going and I’ve got straight A’s since then.”

Maddox thinks doing well academically is valuable because it sets you up for success in life down the road. “That’s your whole future, I mean your whole life is really based off high school and college,” he said. “And you really need to do well in high school, you know, move onto college and have a nice life. I mean, in my personal opinion.”

Maddox said his favorite subjects are math and science. Currently he’s taking human anatomy, a class that’s inspired some ideas for college majors and future career options. “I want to be an anesthesiologist or radio oncologist. And I really want to go to a college that’s snowy so I can snowboard. That would be nice.”

Outside of his studies, Maddox founded a nonprofit organization called Mad’s Muscle Men. The group does some heavy lifting to help raise money for people affected by opioid addiction.

Maddox also somehow finds the time to participate in four different sports: “Well, I do football. I’m a starting left tackle there. In swim I do butterfly and breath stroke. I’m a state champion last year, 2022. I do tennis, which I’m not going to do this year because it didn’t really fancy me at all. And I also do track and I throw shot and disk.

Despite his successes, Maddox says he always strives to improve himself. “I mean, nothing’s ever perfect. I can really work on everything right now. I’m trying to get more scholarships right now for college, I’m trying to still look for colleges is my main thing.”

Maddox said a list of people he has to thank for his successes would take too long to list, but that chief among them would be his teachers and coaches.

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