story by Ruth Nicolaus
Ethan Griffin is a self-motivator. The seventeen year old cowboy, a resident of Jay, Okla. and an Oklahoma High School Rodeo Association athlete, knows he has to take care of business even when he doesn’t want to.
That’s why he makes himself get out of bed and do his school work so he can go outside and ride.
Ethan, a senior who is homeschooled, competes in the tie-down roping and the team roping, heeling for Laney Lynch.
As a homeschooled student, he loves working at his own pace. He’s ahead of where he’s supposed to be, which he appreciates. The downside of homeschooling is that a person needs to be self-disciplined. “It’s so hard, to get out of bed and make yourself do the schoolwork. There are some days when I don’t want to get out of bed. Then I get to thinking, I’d better, or I’ll get behind.”
Of his subjects, chemistry comes easy for him. “I don’t cringe when I think of chemistry,” he quipped. English is another story; “I don’t know why, but there’s something about writing a paper that I can’t wrap my head around.”
For the past three years, Ethan has been given the opportunity to speak at a Christian-based team roping clinic hosted by Hannah Hogner. During the clinic, which is held every March, he helps kids learn to rope and learn about Jesus. He enjoys it very much, because his faith is important to him. He learned a lot about Jesus and faith through Bob Hall, the late father of his friend Brenten Hall. Ethan knew about Jesus before he and Bob became friends, but “Bob made me want to find out more of what Jesus was. He got me more into the Word.” Bob passed away a few years ago, and Ethan misses him. “He was somebody I really looked up to. He was a father figure to me.”
Bob’s wife Leanna owns a feed store in Jay, and Ethan works twenty to thirty hours a week at the store. He also rides Brenten’s horse, Nelson, for his events.
After high school graduation, he will attend Northeastern Oklahoma A&M University in Miami, where he’s won a scholarship. After NEO, he’ll transfer to another school and get either his business and ag degree or animal science degree. “I have a big plan,” he said. “If I get a 4.0 (GPA) in college in animal science, I want to apply for veterinarian school. If that doesn’t work, I’ll get an ag-business degree.”
Ethan is in his second year of high school rodeo competition. Last year, he made the short go-round at state finals in the team roping.
He has two older sisters: Ellie, who is nineteen and Elise, who is sixteen.
His mother is Lee Griffin.
