While senior Curtis Yaek has a rigorous senior year schedule that includes four Advanced Placement (AP) classes, along with two online AP courses, Curtis is also participating in extra-curricular activities AND working on college applications. 

Curtis would like to pursue either aerospace or nuclear engineering, and says the possible majors “seem intriguing.” He adds, “There are lots of opportunities to design systems.” 

He is considering the University of Michigan, the Colorado School of Mines, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His older brother, Derek, Class of 2024, currently attends the University of Michigan. 

Curtis chose to attend DLS because of the school’s academic opportunities.

His senior year schedule includes AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP English - Literature and Composition, and AP Psychology. He is also studying both AP Physics C Mechanics and AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism online.

Curtis lives in Richmond, MI, and attended St. Augustine Catholic School. He and his parents, Jonathan and Jennifer, are also parishioners at St. Augustine. The family has a working farm, and Curtis regularly works in the fields. 

Mr. Rob Black moderates the DLS Robotics team, and says, “Curtis has been a vital member of our Robotics team as our team’s build captain, and now as a senior, is one of our co-captains. Much of our success as a team can be attributed to his engineering abilities.” 

Curtis also participates in the clay target shooting program and captained the team as a junior and again, now, as a senior. Mr. Mike Jolly, the team’s moderator, praises Curtis’s abilities. 

“I continually learn something new and interesting about him and his activities,” Jolly said. “He is a brilliant academic who, at the same time, IS a blacksmith who can forge beautiful works of art. He is a farm worker digging in the dirt (on his family’s farm) as well as a creator in intricate high-tech Robotics efforts.” 

Jolly adds, “Three years ago, he immediately became our top marksman in clay target. On his first day with us, he was breaking birds that an experienced shooter would have missed, and he had not been trained in the sport. He literally made us coaches laugh and shake our heads in incredulity. 

“Curtis is our captain again this year and leads by setting a great example of focus, determination, and consistency. He chooses his friends extremely well, interacts with them easily and comfortably, and spends his time wisely. He is a credit to himself, his family, and our school.” 

Curtis also participates in the school’s Rocketry Club and in the Snowboard and Ski Club. 

Theology teacher Mr. John Berlin has also gotten to know Curtis in class and through the Ski and Snowboard Club

“He is a faith-filled young man who has a complete understanding of the faith and traditions. His pleasant disposition always adds to the instruction, and he is a joy to have in class as his passion for learning is contagious.” 

Social Studies teacher Mr. Thaier Mukhtar said, “Curtis got the highest grades in my AP Government class and has the tools to do wonderful things in life. One of DLS’s finest scholar/athletes.”

Curtis advises freshmen to “put your best effort toward everything you do, even if you do not enjoy something.”

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