Senior Spotlight: Joey Russell Gets Animated About His Future
Encore Academy senior Joey Russell has big plans after graduation, and they involve a famous mouse. Joey, who has been taking advanced art classes not only within the academy, but with the Columbus College of Art and Design and Columbus State Community College, wants to be an animator for Disney or Pixar. “I’ve been drawing since I was a kid, and I never grew out of it. Once I learned I could make a career out of it, I planned my pathway and studies to achieve the goal of being an animator for movies,” he said.
Two teachers in the Encore Academy nominated Joey for a senior spotlight, saying that he is not only a 4.0 student and varsity athlete, but he is a role model within Reynoldsburg High School.
We met Joey at the Encore office where he carried a gallon jug of water, “to stay hydrated.” Joey runs cross country and plays second base for the RHS Baseball team. “We just won our first playoff game, we’re off to a good start,” he said.
Joey plans to attend Ohio University to study media arts, and has enough credits from CCAD and CCSC that if OU accepts them all, he will technically have finished his first year of college. He received a fine arts and academic scholarship and applied for several local scholarships as well.
Joey hopes to walk on to the OU cross country team as well. In his free time, he likes to draw, run and play guitar.
“I really liked the dual enrollment opportunity that Encore offered with CCAD,” said Joey. “The classes are exactly what I want. I want to thank Ms. Murgatroyd for all of her advice along the way, and Mr. Naiman, for being such a fun teacher to learn from and hang out with.”
Joey and his fellow Encore students are working on their senior capstone- a maker space similar to the eSTEM FabLab, but geared towards the arts.
Posted: Thursday, May 11, 2017