Royalton High School faculty and staff is pleased to announce that Kodi Franks has been selected as the March Student of the Month. Kodi emphasizes that his family has taught him that with hard work, anything is possible, and notes that a strong work ethic has been ingrained into him from an early age.

His favorite class at RHS was Human Body Systems (HBS) with Ms. Gerads. He explains that there was always plenty to do, but it never felt like “homework.” He suggests any student interested in the medical field should take this class because it lays a lot of groundwork for the future. On the same note, he states that his favorite teacher is Ms. Gerads. He loved having her for the tail end of biology, ecology, and HBS. He writes, “She just had this way of connecting with students and having a laid back feel to the class. We always had work to do, but it never felt suffocating. I appreciate what she has taught me because I will use it in the future. I know whatever I accomplish in the future I have to give her some credit.”

At RHS, Kodi was involved with football. He explains that he loves the game, but injuries forced him to step back and look at what’s important in life. During his short time on the team, he met some of his best friends. He is also involved in weight lifting. Kodi states that it has become one of the most important aspects of his life. He has gained more mentally than physically through lifting. The bar is indiscriminate. It doesn’t care who you are or what you do, it’s the same for everyone. His most memorable high school moment is hitting a 1,000 pound total in weightlifting. This is done by adding up your squat, deadlift, and bench weight amounts. He was unsure if he would be able to complete this goal, but he had a friend that kept pushing and cheering him on until he was successful. He explained, “I hit what I needed to and knocked another goal off the wall.” Randy Thielges, Royalton High School science teacher would like to add, “I admire a young man like Kodi; he's had some breaks (literally) go against him, but he finds a way to persevere and go forward.”

Kodi will be attending North Dakota State University (NDSU) in the fall, majoring in Biology and minoring in Exercise Science or Business. He also plans on attending medical school. He chose this career path because he wants to help people, and notes that the medical field is one of the greatest ways to do that. He sees himself in residency and still taking lifting seriously. He wants to become a doctor and own a gym. Kodi writes that, “I love seeing people take charge and want to change aspects of their life they’re unhappy with. I want to help them achieve that. I also want to give back to my parents for everything they have done for me.”

When it comes to advice for high school freshmen, Kodi mentions that he would tell a freshman “to do whatever he/she wants to do. If that means you anger some people and lose friends along the way, so be it. At the end of the day, there is only one person you can always depend on no matter what, and that’s yourself. You need to make sure YOU’RE happy not someone else. What everyone else says does not matter. As Kobe Bryant once said, ‘Nobody hates the good ones. They hate the great ones.’ Do what you enjoy, and life will be better.”

To conclude, Carl Halverson, Royalton High School art teacher adds, “In my design class, Kodi worked on developing a website that involved his interests in athletic training and fitness. He works out continuously to keep himself in top physical condition. Many times, a student may have a desire to pursue a career field.  When it comes down to doing whatever it takes to achieve his career goals, Kodi has been doing just that for many years. Anyone who has witnessed his work ethic, not only in the weight room, but also in the classroom, would find it hard to bet against him.  I see him one day owning and operating a fitness related center, where he can assist others to become all that they can be, both mentally and physically.  He has proven himself to many at Royalton High School.”