A whole new school and lots of stress from homework were what senior Zach Jones experienced freshman year. Coming from a public school, none of his friends from middle school came to De Smet with him.
“All of freshman year was really tough,” Jones said. “I was not having as much fun, because I was not getting involved.”
Even when he tried to get involved by trying out for the school play he did not make the cut. Therefore, Jones because of all these struggles faced a decision of whether or not to return to De Smet for his sophomore year. After debating his options all summer and not fully confident in his decision he returned the following year to give De Smet one last try.
Nick Plassmeyer

Sophomore year Jones was determined to get a role in the play “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind.” He was not going to just give up.
“For us [teachers and directors] what was really exciting to see was his persistence.” When Jones found out he got the part he was ecstatic.
“I didn’t really believe it at first; it’s kind of hard to because I didn’t [make the play] the year before,” Jones said. “So it felt really good to see that I had been able to improve and come back and do it again and actually make it this time.” This was just the start of his involvement in the theatre.
“I think that show was really key because he got more confidence as that show went along,” theatre director Kurt Knoedelseder said. “The more confident he was the more his abilities began to shine.”
As a senior, Jones was a featured vocalist and main role in the musical “Spamalot” and is the president of the De Smet Dionysian Players.
“My life would definitely not be the same that it is now [if I left]. I don’t think I would have enjoyed my life if I would have left,” Jones said. “I pretty much credit the theater program for keeping me at De Smet and giving me some of the best friends I’ve had my whole life.”