Whiz Kid: Lakewood High School Senior Hitting All the Right Notes

Every week, Lakewood Patch will honor a Whiz Kid in our community. Don't forget to submit your own nominations for outstanding kids who make Eagle Scout, aced a hard test, or led their CYO team to victory. Email colin.mcewen@patch.com with your nominations or enter them in the comments below.

This week's Whiz Kid comes to us from .

NAME: Alberto Rodriguez

AGE: 18

SCHOOL: Lakewood High School

INSTRUMENT: Upright bass (and electric bass)

LEAVING HIGH SCHOOL ON A HIGH NOTE: Alberto was invited to perform in the Ohio All-State Orchestra with his upright bass in back-to-back years (a rare feat). The orchestra is made up of the top-ranked string players from orchestras around the state. Nearly 100 students are chosen for the orchestra from a pool of about 800.

And tonight at 8:30, he’ll be performing with the legendary Lakewood band  at the Hard Rock Cafe in Cleveland for the Battle of the Bands competition.

In addition to being an extremely talented musician, he’s also a model student, holding down a solid 3.5 GPA throughout high school.

KEY TO AWESOMENESS: In the fifth grade, Alberto joined the Lakewood Orchestra Program. He only started playing the upright bass in the eighth grade. “I never realized that music was my passion until my junior year,” he said.

So, he said he worked hard to catch up. Very, very hard.

“I have a lot of people in my life who motivate me,” he said, including his parents and the school’s orchestra director, Elizabeth Hankins. “And I have got a lot of close friends and a girlfriend who really help me and push me along.”

For his musical extra-curricular activities, Alberto performs with the Lakewood Project Rock Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra and 70 Lewis.

“To see him on stage, every it blows me away every time,” said his proud mom, Juli Robbins. “Trying to keep up with his schedule is tough — he doesn’t get much sleep. He’s dedicated. He knows what he wants in life, and he’s working as hard as he can to do it.”

In his free time — not related to music — Alberto is a member of Model United Nations, Operation Resolution (a peer mediation group), Lakewood Times and the National Honor Society.

LESSONS WORTH PASSING ON:  For Alberto, it’s all about hard work. Having only picked up the upright bass just five years ago, he’s had to work that much harder to obtain his goals.

“The Lakewood music program has taught me to be an individual and to work hard and it has taught me about discipline,” he said. “If I had to say above anything, I’ve learned the power of determination. There are many opportunities, but there are also challenges. Everything I have achieved in the program I have really had to work hard for.”

Alberto said he plans to attend either Case Western Reserve University or Cleveland State University. He hopes to study music.

“I want to succeed,” Alberto said. “I want to be able to something significant in the world. Whether it’s music or academics. I know that the harder I try, the more opportunities I will have. I want to help my family and make a difference in the world.”