How well- rounded can someone even be? Apparently, very. Wayne Hills senior Jaden Guzman takes “well-rounded” to a whole new level. Between making art, music, leading the ski team, spending countless hours in the gym, and taking difficult AP classes,  Jaden somehow makes it look easy.

Disclosure: If you couldn’t tell from the last name, Jaden Guzman is my brother. While this connection provided insight into his experiences, this article was written to show and appreciate his accomplishments.

However, to really get to know Jaden, you have to learn about the start of everything, his art.

“I first started my love of art when I was very little”, Jaden said, “I can hardly remember a time when I wasn’t doing art. I always grew up surrounded by it, and that’s why I enjoy it.” Art is Jaden’s way of expressing himself and relieving stress.  Jaden’s art also helped him be an FBLA finalist in digital animation last year.  Jaden said he loved his experience at FBLA.”
It was awesome. I got a chance to meet brand new people who had the same mindset as me.” From being a digital animation finalist to drawing his mischievous cat Bebo on TikTok, one thing has always been consistent: Jaden has a true passion for art.

Music is another place where Jaden absolutely shines. Jaden’s father, Jimmy Guzman, had worked for Columbia and MCA Records in the early 2000’s, but then switched to healthcare. His father’s stories of working in the music industry had fostered a great love of music for Jaden from a young age and inspired him to make music himself. “Now that I make music, I’m able to listen to it with more appreciation because I know the effort that it takes,” Jaden explained. Inspired by his favorite artists, like Men I Trust, Jaden has explored music with a whole new perspective.

However, Jaden isn’t just creative; he’s a leader. As captain of the Wayne Hills ski team alongside Ryan Rodrigues, he makes sure everyone knows the ropes. “We are working to inspire a newer generation of skiers,” he said. “Sometimes people don’t know how to act in front of the coaches, so we teach them if they need help and organize a lot of stuff.” His close friend Luciano Garcia, a freshman in college, adds, “He’s one of the kindest and most uplifting people I know, but he also tells the truth. He won’t praise something that doesn’t deserve it.”

Then there’s another huge part of Jaden: the gym.

“I started because I just wanted to improve my health and my body,” he explained. “Over the years, I started seeing progress, and I was like, wow, I really like how I feel… I keep wanting to work on myself and my body.” Luciano seemed to sum it up perfectly, “Most people lift to look good and get bigger, but from my perspective, Jaden’s reasons aren’t as vain and not so easily encapsulated. I think that Jaden works out because in doing so, he gives himself an opportunity to be better than he was the previous day.” The gym is a place to grow personally and to connect with new people.

Apart from art and athletics, Jaden is also an exceptional student. From elementary school to senior year, Jaden has been in advanced math and science programs. He’s an AP scholar and has a 4.0 GPA. Although Jaden doesn’t know what to do in college, he hopes to continue his hard work ethic in the future.

Whether it’s inspiring new skiers, creating art, making music, or lifting weights, Jaden is undeniably a force of nature. Luciano put it best: “I think that anyone reading this article should note that Jaden has a big personality, and it may be overwhelming at first. However, I believe that once you get to know him, he is truly one of the greatest people I’ve ever met, with a truly pure soul.”