Will Kent

People like senior Will Kent only come around so often. He’s a laid back guy with a passion to weld and a charisma that draws people together.

You’ve most likely spotted Will at some point driving his pimped out Toyota Forerunner or blazing down the sidewalk on his much envied Boosted Board (electric skateboard). Back at Deer Path Middle School though, it was most likely that you’d see him popping wheelies around market square on his BMX bike.

Either way, Kent has become notorious for his toys. At an early age, Will dominated the South Park neighborhood as he was simply always on the move.

Now, Will splits his time between CLC and Lake Forest High School in an innovative program that is teaching him how to weld. Will has been making things with his hands forever whether that be souping up his ‘89 Forerunner or fixing up his BMX. Will has also built an entire computer system from scratch, so the field of welding makes perfect sense.

Will has also renovated a room in his basement into a welding room. The room consists of different kinds of welding materials, a multitude of tools from electric saws to torches, and an air-pump that he installed himself. With that at his disposal, who knows what he will make.

A long time friend of Will, Peter Lynch says, “I’m beyond impressed he was able to build that workshop, and he’s been spending tons of time experimenting down there which is really cool to see.”

Will Kent is also a car enthusiast. He does it all, whether it’s admiring them, driving them, or building them. First of all, Will spends hours at a time researching cars from the model to each mechanism that allows it to drive the way it does. Second of all, Will has developed a special talent for being behind the wheel. His older brother Robbie shares this skill and with acres of land at their disposal, they don’t hold anything back. Lastly, Will is an expert in all things car engine related. He is constantly replacing old parts in his Forerunner and adding in things like a front-bar and a modern radio system.

He loves doing it but he also has an “unbelievable ability to understand the way motor vehicles operate, and if it were me, I would’ve probably exploded one by now,” says his friend Nick Wnuk.

It’s not the gadgets and skills that make Will who he is though; it is the way he treats his friends. Some of Kent’s friends favorite middle school memories were cruising around South Park on his motor-scooter, fitting as many as three guys on a one person scooter.

“He just loves to see his friends happy, and that’s why we’ve always loved Will,” says long time friend Luke Janotta.

In high school, Will remains a giver asking for little in return.

“If he ain’t got it you don’t need it and when he got you’ll have it,” says Daniel Grady, a close companion to Will. What Daniel Grady is attempting to say is that, if he has his car, he’ll come pick you up and if he’s got an extra hand, he’ll help you move that couch out of your room because that’s just the guy that Will is.

Even if you’re not interested in cars, bikes, or welding, Will is a great friend to all. So next time you see him in the hall, whether it be with a head nod or a follow-up question, I highly recommend that you introduce yourself to Will as you’ll only meet someone like him once in a blue moon.