A Million Ways To Succeed

Pennridge student Brandon Millili is one of the most skilled athletes at Pennridge High School, with a pole vault PR of 11 feet, 6 inches, while still running other events like hurdles and relays. On top of this, Brandon is an excellent student, in plenty of AP courses, and he has had his fair share of great test scores. He also participates in numerous school events, one of these being the US Navy’s 250th Anniversary STEM Challenge, where students at different schools are tasked to invent something that can benefit the Navy’s technology. Brandon and his group, consisting of students Fenix Bock, Elijah Kerzmann, and Soulayman Abdi, called themselves the ‘Anti-Barnacle Boys’ and invented a new way to get rid of barnacles on the bottom of a naval ship. They manufactured an efficient, eco-friendly way to stop barnacles before they even begin to form. Brandon also participated in taking the 2024 ASVAB test. Brandon does not just succeed academically, but especially on the track.

In the words of Pennridge track coach Carl Tyce, “He is a leader, and he cares about being successful and seeing other people succeed.” Brandon brings a positive attitude to the team, and it pays off, as he gets plenty of competition time in his many events. In one word, Tyce would describe Brandon as “steadfast,” meaning he is a firm, determined, and loyal person to his team, friends, and school. Brandon works his hardest to show how dedicated he is to the team, and it influences those around him to do better. Tyce says, “It’s good to have someone working that hard. He is a good example for others on the team.” Once again, showing Brandon’s influence upon his fellow athletes, and the endless respect the coaches he works with have for him and his unwavering work ethic.

Brandon sees his own success come from his consistency. By showing up to practices, staying on top of school assignments, and taking advantage of things like RAMS time, Brandon excels in managing to balance his school, home, and sports lives. In his education, Brandon sees his success come from his grades, stating: “…as long as you’re passing, it’s easy to get degrees.” And this goes hand in hand with his belief that being an athlete goes hand in hand with being a student. Having the same mindset no matter what he’s doing, whether that be taking a test or winning a race, is the key to Brandon’s idea of consistency and putting forth his best effort. On the track, Brandon makes sure never to miss a practice, believing, “To succeed as an athlete, you have to show up and put forth your best effort to succeed.” And this shows in Brandon’s statistics, constantly landing in the top five for all of his many track events. In the end, for someone to succeed in a sport as much as Brandon has, it all boils down to the drive to make an effort and the satisfaction of victory.

Colin Woehr, Brandon’s track teammate, also sees Brandon’s consistency and work ethic in school and on the track, stating, “He works hard to get done what he needs to get done. He doesn’t procrastinate, and he finishes what he needs to as fast as he can.” Showing once again how Brandon’s hard work, determination, and maximum effort pay off in his grades and his track statistics. On the track, Brandon works with plenty of other athletes to succeed for himself and Pennridge High School as a whole. Brandon’s influence on his track team is very positive. Woehr says, “He works hard and cares about the things he does. And that impacts the people around him.” Showing how positive an impact Brandon has on the team just through his hard work alone, pushing the track athletes to succeed.

In 10 years, Brandon sees himself focusing more on his personal life, his own success outside of his sport, and the ideal conditions for his adulthood, but that doesn’t mean running will be absent in his future. Brandon sees himself pursuing his degree in some sort of engineering, while still running long distances to keep in shape and not lose the drive and determination he has in high school. The future looks very bright for the promising young athlete Brandon Millili, and his consistency and effort are sure to continue to push him to further success in whatever endeavors he takes on as he nears the end of his high school career.