This week's Whiz Kids is Greenwich High School Senior Ben Weissler.

Weissler is in the GHS Jazz Ensemble and Marching Band as well as the first chair in the All-State Band for alto saxophone this year. His passion for music however, isn't the only thing that defines him. From helping the elderly to youth, from looking to understand more than just his immediate surroundings but the entire world and finally to excelling in all his endeavors. His hero is a teacher known for being demanding in his pursuit of excellence and it seems the trait has rubbed off on Weissler. 

When Weissler isn't busy with music, he fills his time as  president of the Model UN Club and a member of the Computer Club. He has volunteered to help seniors learn computer skills at the Grenwich Senior Center and at some of the senior facilities in town. He has a part-time job teaching saxophone to an elementary school student. On Saturdays, he takes an enrichment class at Columbia University as part of its Science Honors Program. He'll attend Yale College in the fall.

1. Who is your hero?

My hero is John Yoon, director of the GHS bands, whom I’ve had the enormous pleasure of playing under for the past four years. As a fantastic musician and music educator, he’s given me a passion for music. However,  the most important lesson he’s delivered has been through the way he lives his life and the example he sets: a constant and unrelenting pursuit of excellence, not just in music but in everything he does. It certainly isn’t easy to spend each day trying to do everything one notch better but Mr. Yoon has convinced me it’s totally worth it.

Mr. Yoon demands the best from all his students and he facilitates an environment and an attitude in which everyone buys into doing (and being) their very best. In Greenwich, where success and achievement are so very high, it can be especially easy to succumb to complacency and false satisfaction. But Mr. Yoon understands that “ ‘better’ is the enemy of ‘good enough’ “ and he instills that principle into each and every student.

2. If there was one thing you could change about your school, what would it be and why?

I've always found GHS to be a vibrant learning community where teachers are excited to teach and students are excited to learn. The only component I’ve sometimes felt is missing is a strong sense of school unity or spirit. I think that the school could do more to encourage that essential element. Initiatives like the House Olympics are a good start but giving students more of a voice about what events or campaigns they’d like they see would produce even better results.

3. If you had the day to yourself, what would you do?

A good day starts early and ends late. I’d bike into Old Greenwich, pick up a bite to eat there, then bike Tod’s Point. After that I’d likely watch some movies with friends, either really good ones or hilariously bad campy ones. At lunch I’d indulge in something fried and the afternoon would be spent reading and practicing music. Steak for dinner, then bed.

4. If you could be a character in any book, who would you be and why?

While I love reading about moral titans like Atticus Finch or John Proctor, I think if I had to actually assume a fictional character’s position it would be Max from "Where The Wild Things Are." After his initial mischief-making and insolence, Max is sent to his room, and from there he embarks on an exhilarating adventure of his own imagination. Max isn’t afraid of the wild beasts he encounters; he stares right into their yellow eyes “without blinking once” and is declared king of the wild things. He makes a mature decision by returning back home and then the story ends on an uplifting note as Max, back in his room, discovers his dinner, still hot. It’s a wonderful, deceptively simple tale of growth and it would be exciting to experience it as Max does.

5. What is your favorite place in Greenwich and why?

I think Binney Park is the perfect combination of beauty and functionality. Clearly, the willows, wildlife, and picturesque stone bridges are all breathtaking, but the space is also really usable, whether I want to play tennis or  frisbee, or have a picnic. From the ice skating in the winter to the summer model boat races, the community takes great advantage of the park and makes it a fun place to be. Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the park's fabulous July 4th fireworks and festivities which are one of the highlights of my summer.