There’s a lot of people that are just super negative, that just automatically bring the whole group down. So even if it’s the worst day of my life, I try to bring a positivity. I try to be positive so that people can see that even in the worst times you can still be happy.”

Larry Williams

The Hastings Rotary meets each Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at 2nd Street Depot, 320 2nd St. E.

The Hastings Rotary Club honored Larry Williams at its meeting Thursday, Jan. 25 as its December Student of the Month.
The Hastings rotary Club recognizes Hastings High School seniors who exemplify Rotary’s motto of “Service
Above Self” as a way to reward and foster these ideals and also to build mutually rewarding relationships between school administration, staff, students, parents and Rotary members. The Hastings Rotary meets each Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at 2nd Street Depot, 320 2nd St. E.
Williams was nominated by Band Director Jim Jacobsen and guidance counselor Steve Peterson.
Their nomination read, “Larry is energetic, engaged and enthusiastic. He is a natural leader who can bring out the best in others. People gravitate to him because he brings fun and excitement into almost everything he does. He leads with passion and kindness. Because of this, he is extremely well-liked by students and staff alike.
“Larry participates in basically every music offering available at HHS, and he is fully invested in all of those groups. He is an extremely intelligent student who constantly reflects on how he can become better and give more. His combination of passion, kindness, intelligence and drive make him an ideal candidate for this honor.”
Williams plans to attend St. Olaf College in the fall and major in psychology. But music is where things really click for him in Hastings. He can play multiple instruments and sing multiple roles.
“I do college applications, and it’s kind of weird because when I do them, it’s all music, literally. I have pages and pages of things that I do, but it’s only music,” he joked in accepting the honor at the Rotary meeting. “Our school has a lot of music offerings.”
Williams tries to help mentor younger students.
“They’re young. They’re new. They’re nervous about how they should actually ask this, and they just come to me. I tell them we’re here to work, and I try to lead with a positive attitude throughout most of my life, but especially in school because it creates this sort of successful environment, especially in music, but also just in life in general. There’s a lot of people that are just super negative, that just automatically bring the whole group down. So even if it’s the worst day of my life, I try to bring a positivity,” Williams said. “I try to be positive so that people can see that even in the worst times you can still be happy.”
He's drawn to St. Olaf, obviously, because of the reputation of the school’s music program.
“I’m a big choir kid, and I love to sing, and I want that in my future. St. Olaf has the latest and greatest choir program in America,” he said.
Though he “doesn’t’ want to think too far ahead,” right now he’s got medical school on his radar.
“I really want to be a psychiatrist because you can help people. That’s one thing, but I really find it interesting how people act the way they do, and I’m really excited to spend my life exploring how people’s upbringing and past has affected them as a person and be there as the person who is supposed to help them grow from that,” said Williams.