Ronnie Eith earns kudos for his tenacity
Despite some of the difficulties Asperger's Syndrome has brought to his life, Ronnie Eith is graduating high school with many achievements, including contributing to his school's newspaper. Credit: Danielle Finkelstein
Ronnie Eith of H. Frank Carey High School doesn't give up.
He tried out for the school play five times before he was finally accepted in this year's production of "Anything Goes."
And while he's been a member of the junior varsity and varsity wrestling teams for years, he has yet to win a match.
But that doesn't mean it's not worth it, he said.
"It's one of the hardest sports out there between the actual practices and maintaining your weight throughout the season," he said. "It really gave me a challenge. It disciplined me. I enjoyed it very much."
Counselors who know Eith say it's his enthusiasm that pulls him through.
When Eith, 17, was cast as a sailor in this year's musical, he belted through "Bon Voyage" and "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" like he was on Broadway. "We had the greatest time," Eith said of his theater experience. "We would laugh throughout the entire practice."
Eith has Asperger's syndrome, a developmental disorder that can make it difficult for him to read social cues and to focus on anything but a specific set of interests.
Julie Elena, a counselor who has come to know Eith in the past year, said he was so excited about his role in the play that he would sometimes practice singing in the guidance office and show the counselors his dance moves.
Elena marvels at Eith's tenacity; most students, including those who grow up to be guidance counselors, shy away from tryouts after just one rejection.
"I tried out for a talent show in the seventh grade and didn't get it and never went out again," Elena said. "But he doesn't quit anything. He tried out for it every year and finally got it in his senior year."
Eith said Asperger's can make his life difficult at times. He worries about saying the wrong thing, though he has a reputation for being outgoing and affable. Testament to that is his selection as the school's Senior of the Month last December, a designation bestowed upon only 10 seniors.
"That's the thing about Ronnie," Elena said. "He doesn't put on any airs. The students have come to embrace him. They recognize this is a real fighter. He puts his heart and soul into everything, and how can you not respect that?"
The latest beneficiaries of that are the school's outdoor benches, which Eith is replacing or refurbishing. He is also secretary of the Carey Clipper, the school's newspaper, and a member of Model UN and the yearbook committee.
Eith said he will remember high school fondly as he prepares to leave for East Stroudsburg University in the fall.
