It has been said there are two sides to every penny, including senior Alex Moneypenny. Going from a school spirited and energetic individual to a devotedly religious young man is a typical week for Moneypenny. One thing that helps him blend into so many places is his optimistic attitude.
Mrs. Malissa Dalton, Moneypenny’s former math teacher, said she can always get a smile out of him.
“He is a very positive and upbeat person,” she said. “[He is] always kind [and] full of energy.”
Being thoughtful and generous all the time may be difficult to pull off, but Moneypenny has no problems doing it.
“He’s pleasant every day of the year,” she said. “We all have bad days but he is pleasant every day.”
Despite going to St. Matthew’s in Akron for his elementary and middle school years, Moneypenny still has dedication and spirit for Hoover. Every Friday, he and his friends “paint up,” a time-honored tradition where students paint their bodies with names and numbers of team members in support for the team, and go to the Hoover football game. Although the paint may be tricky to get off, it’s worth it, according Moneypenny.
“I started doing it last year for basketball,” he said.
Armed with a spirit pass, Moneypenny goes to every game painted up.
“The whole idea is to get a group of friends together,” he said. “You become good friends with the players.”
Driving to the game can be just as fun as watching it, as stopping to get pizza is a common occurrence. Also before games, Moneypenny and his friends like to tailgate together.
Part of Moneypenny’s painted up posse is senior Luke LePage. LePage and Moneypenny have been friends for four “wonderful” years, according to LePage; they met during freshmen World Studies.
Both LePage and Moneypenny love sports and have a good sense of humor. Although the boys are similar, LePage explained their differences.
“I’m a little larger than Alex,” he said. “Alex enjoys rap, as I do not.”
Describing Moneypenny as an “awkward, goofy, humorous kid who enjoys having fun in whatever he’s doing,” LePage explained he and Moneypenny have fun tailgating before games together.
LePage is also responsible for Moneypenny joining the group Young Life, which is a Christian club where members study the Bible and listen to speakers.
After being invited to Young Life by LePage, Moneypenny was surprised at his first meeting.
“[LePage] swallowed a goldfish,” he said.
Hooked by the spectacular start, Moneypenny has gone to Young Life for all four years of his high school career.
Young Life meets Mondays and Thursdays, each meeting being at a different member’s house. According to Moneypenny, Mondays are reserved for hanging out and singing songs while Thursdays tend to be more serious, including a speaker and Bible study.
“They tell a story and then they somehow connect it to a Bible verse,” he said.
Moneypenny said he enjoys meeting new people through Young Life.
Young Life leader Matt Wilcox met Moneypenny during his freshmen year. Wilcox views him as a very outgoing person.
“He’s always in the front row of the game painted up with his cowbell,” he said.
Moneypenny also said he invites friends who have never been to Young Life to participate in its activities. With a school of 1600 students, Wilcox is happy that they can reach more people.
“It’s a big help for him to do that,” he said.
Having known Moneypenny for so long, Wilcox has seen him grow from a freshman to a senior.
“Since freshmen year, he’s more mature and responsible,” Wilcox said.
When the summer rolls around, Moneypenny likes to take to the water. He and his family go to Berlin Lake and rent a houseboat to live on for a week. Water skiing is a favorite activity of his.
“I have a boat and I go out every weekend,” he said. “We’re constantly on the water.”
Moneypenny also enjoys spending time with his brother, Cameron Luthey.
“We’re close,” Moneypenny said. “We have fun together, and we laugh at the same stuff.”
During the winter, when the lake freezes, Moneypenny enjoys riding snowmobiles in a field near his house.
Sports have always been a large part in Moneypenny’s life. They have also become a source of pride for him. During his baseball-playing years, he won an award.
“I won a Little League Championship All-Star for centerfield,” he said.
From the baseball diamond to the basketball court, Moneypenny is an athletic chameleon.
“I like to play basketball a lot,” he said.
He joined the local Y-Ball league, where he meets with his team on Mondays and Wednesdays.
“You can either play for fun or play for serious,” he said.
Moneypenny frequently gets wings with his friends at Buffalo Wild Wings and watches sporting events. He watches the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturdays and the Cleveland Browns on Sundays.
Moneypenny has an array of likes and dislikes, but mostly likes. His outlook on life is a very positive view, one that encourages the people around him.
“[Moneypenny] enjoys the stuff he’s doing,” Wilcox said.