It’s 2016; Robbie Divelbess is nine years old and preparing for his first swim meet. Swim cap is on. Goggles are on. Game mode is on. The water is cold; the competition is viscous; the air is damp and harsh, smelling of chlorine and anticipation. Ready, set, go.
It’s 2022; Divelbess is 15 years old. For many 15-year-olds, going to college is a distant prospect, something that you can put out of your mind. Not to him. His college resume is already being compiled in the back of his brain; he’s already searching for extracurriculars to embellish his transcript and make him stand out to the admissions committee. Joining Dance Marathon might be just the thing.
It’s the summer of 2024; Divelbess is 17 years old and is spending his summer working as a lifeguard and studying tirelessly for the SAT retakes. Pouring over prep books and worksheets all summer will all be worth it for those extra few points, the few points that could make or break his college application.
It’s senior year; Divelbess is almost 18 years old and has become a Dance Marathon executive, straight A student, and a member of the Niles North varsity swim team.
Your average student might crumble under the pressure of being heavily involved in a club, following a strict practice schedule, and maintaining outstanding grades.
However, Divelbess isn’t the average student. For him, no task is too ambitious. No obstacles cannot be overcome. No barriers cannot be broken down.
Senior Penelope Roewe works alongside Divelbess as a fellow Dance Marathon executive and has nothing but praise for his work ethic.
“Robbie is very reliable,” Roewe said. “If I need something done, he always finds a way to make it work.”
That’s always been his goal. To make it work.
Over the last two years, Dance Marathon has become more than just a piece of his resume. It’s become a community of other committed students working together on a project that goes beyond any college application.
“It’s a lot of hard work,” Divelbess said. “It’s a lot of pressure to put on a 16-year-old but it’s also pressure that’s gonna make you grow and become a better person.”
As if being a Dance Marathon executive wasn’t enough of a responsibility, Divelbess has also been wholeheartedly committed to his academic performance. Niles North has opened so many doors for him in terms of academic accomplishments, and for that he is forever grateful.
“The school is really good at giving anyone the opportunity they want to learn,” Divelbess said. “I don’t feel like there’s any barriers. If you have the determination, then you can do anything you want here.”
His hard work doesn’t go unnoticed by his peers. His girlfriend, Lucy Emrich, has witnessed his strive for perfection first hand. She studies with him regularly and watches him dedicate hours and hours to school, clubs, and sports while still saving time to spend with her and his loved ones.
“He has a busy schedule but he handles it really well,” Emrich said. “He’s able to do all of that and take really hard classes, and do well in all of his classes, and still make time for me and his friends and his family.”
But juggling all of these lives is no easy feat. His level of dedication can be both physically and emotionally taxing, especially when it comes to swimming.
“I’ve been doing it for ten years now,” Divelbess said. “It’s very monotonous and there’s not really a social aspect of it. The only way to get better is to do more of it, so sometimes coaches will have me swimming three hours in a day. It’ll make you better but it takes a toll on you mentally.”
Despite all of this, Divelbess is able to make every moment count, taking pride in his accomplishments and making the world around him a better place.
“He’s also very conscientious, he’s always thinking about how other people are feeling and has really strong morals,” Emrich said. “He’s shown me how to work hard and be able to get everything done even if I’m stressed out.”
Now, after four years of hard work, Divelbess’s time in highschool is coming to an end. In four years, your average student would be lucky to keep their GPA at a 4.0, let alone be a club executive, varsity athlete, and straight A student.
But Robbie Divelbess isn’t your average student.
The story above was written by a student in the journalism course. Interested in writing for NSN? Reach out to advisors Jason Mormolstein ([email protected]) or Jessica Ralfs ([email protected]).
