FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — A lot of us remember how big those first weeks feel after high school. One pair of longtime friends have some pretty amazing plans just before they start the rest of their lives.
"Is this the earliest known picture of the two of you?" I asked Ethan Hill and Ty Henry as they flipped through a stack of pictures.
"I think so," Ethan said, looking at an elementary school picture. "This is right as we were becoming good friends. We were goofing off in class and making our teachers mad!"
Ethan and Ty became friends in second grade and became best friends in third grade.
"A whole lot of shenanigans!" Ethan smiled.
Back when they were at Grassland Middle, they jokingly threw some carrots on the roof. Their teacher at the time, Susan Abell, didn't love it, but then she figured something.
"It's just carrots," she laughed with a shrug. "It could get a lot worse than throwing carrots."
Then there was also the time Ethan and Ty remodeled Susan's class into a scooter racetrack.
"Luckily, nothing broke," Ty said, thinking back.
"They always make me laugh!" Susan said.
There's another interest Ethan and Ty share that's not shenanigans.
"We wanted to do something together in school, and we both liked music," Ethan said.
Susan was Ethan and Ty's first orchestra teacher when they were in 6th grade. Today, Ethan plays cello and Ty plays upright bass.
"It is really cool to see the growth, the confidence," Susan said. "There's confidence that's built in both of them that's been incredible to watch."
It's a proud moment for Susan to see what the guys are doing with this talent next.
They both passed auditions to what's called the Honors Performance Series which pulls rising young musicians from around the world. With that orchestra, they've already gotten to perform at Carnegie Hall, and in July, they leave here to go perform at the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
It's all a long way from those early days of middle school, learning from Susan.
"I felt horrible for my parents," Ethan laughed. "It was a lot of screechy noises and horrible Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
Ethan and Ty have just graduated Franklin High. Ethan's going to play in the orchestra at Western Kentucky University while Ty is going into the military. The Sydney trip is their big adventure together before they start the rest of their lives.
"You guys gonna miss each other?" I asked Ty and Ethan.
"Maybe a little bit," Ty said with a smile. "I don't know. I think he'll miss me more!"
Susan's watched so much of the journey, from carrots on school rooftops to classroom obstacle courses to real musical talent to a trip to be remembered.
"I mean, in my mind, they're probably still 14 forever," Susan said. "It's really cool cause you never know what's going to be possible when they walk in the door in 6th grade. Getting to see that pan out is a real gift."
"The idea of having my best friend across the world with me performing on the same stage that's renowned, it makes me very happy," Ethan said.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
Happy Birthday to the YMCA of Middle TN. They just celebrated their 150th anniversary! A lot has changed with the Y over the years. I have personally seen some of that firsthand when I was a long-time board member at the Northwest Family Y and part of their Black Achievers Program. Forrest Sanders has a look back.
- Lelan Statom
