Ethan Berning Is On Fire
The long and successful school year of 2025 has officially come to an end. Many new grads are looking forward to three months of “chillaxing” and quality time with family before packing up for college. However, for 2025 Tippecanoe graduate Ethan Berning, the preparation for the 2025 - 2026 school year is already quickly approaching.
On May 24, Berning graduated from Tippecanoe High School with many impressive extracurriculars and a solidified plan for his future under his belt. This time next month, Berning will trade his tassel in for a sailor’s cap and begin his military journey in June during the New Student Indoctrination at the Naval Station Great Lakes.
Ethan is excited to enter a new chapter in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC). He says, “It’s going to be challenging, but I’m looking forward to pushing myself and being a team player along with all of the other midshipmen candidates. I’m ready to start my journey, and getting my hair buzzed off will be fun as well.”
After his intense training, Berning has a concrete plan for his freshman year at the University of Wisconsin. For starters, over the past three months, Ethan has been self-learning the Chinese language. Although he has the type of dedication to learn a language just for fun, he intends to major in Chinese and Eastern Asian Language and Culture upon his entrance into UW.
Berning also intends to pursue his career in NROTC while joining BadgerCru, the Wisconsin branch of a popular collegiate Christian Organization. Faith has been a consistent and important part of Ethan’s life. He has been an active member of his church, Christian Life Center, and their Student Leadership and Middle School Youth teams.
Another testament to his passion for community service is Ethan’s role as Student Body Secretary. Ethan will be celebrating many outstanding achievements after receiving his diploma. However, one of the greatest impacts of his high school career was his time in cross country.
Through cross country, Ethan met many of his friends. One of those was 2023 graduate and Airforce Academy cadet Garet Piel. Ethan appreciated Garrett's Christian values, leadership, and humble personality. Now, Ethan will leave a lasting impact with these very traits on his team as he moves forward.
Berning has been a runner since he was in an elementary school running club. He has since made it to the State cross country competition. The young athlete also earned the title of team captain during his senior year. He plans to run in the future through the University of Wisconsin’s running club and maintain an active lifestyle.
Ethan Berning’s future is bright, and he already has one foot in the door of the University of Wisconsin. His advice to the incoming 2029 freshman class is to “Go all in. Give everything that you have, and don’t leave anything out there. Live life in the moment, and enjoy every minute that you have with your friends and family, because it will fly by.” Although Ethan’s high school career flashed before his eyes, his bright future is just beginning.
NOTE: Ethan was nominated by Tipp City Schools with the following statements:
Ethan epitomizes everything we hope for in our youth. He has taken full advantage of the opportunities presented to him. He stands out not only for his strong academic integrity and discipline but also for his unmatched leadership and determination. Ethan is deeply involved in service organizations—through Student Senate and his church—and consistently sets an example for others in our school community.
What makes Ethan’s story especially compelling is his clear focus and drive for service beyond high school. He will attend the University of Wisconsin to major in International Studies while also serving as a midshipman in their Navy ROTC program—a testament to both his ambition and his commitment to something greater than himself.