Rex Fernando spins around a ballroom with his partner while his brother, Tim, is at Honor Band playing his flute. With just one look, there is no doubt that the brothers are passionate about these activities. The two have fully immersed themselves in various forms of art, including dancing, music and drawing, as well as pursuits such as Cross Country. For Rex, a junior at Ames High, the passion for the arts did not come quickly or at an early age. He actually hated dancing before he was asked to give ballroom dancing a try. “After I decided to try ballroom dancing, I began to like it,” Rex said. “Dancing is full of logic and I was interested in the technical aspect. I am always trying to improve and perfect my technique.” While Rex is off dancing, Tim, a freshman, is practicing his flute by himself or playing with an ensemble. Tim has natural talent for playing the flute, but when he was younger, he nearly didn’t play. “My mother didn’t want to buy a flute for me, so I got an eight dollar recorder and some music,” Tim said. “I eventually received a flute after I improved on the recorder. Now I am playing with various ensembles and perfecting my playing.” “He improved a lot faster than other beginning players,” Rex said. “He improved by a combination of natural talent and a relentless drive to succeed.” Rex is also musical and plays the piano. He began to play at age 11 on the spur of a moment. “I decided to try the piano after I was offered a free lesson,” Rex said. “After that lesson, I chose to continue. I find it is more enjoyable to play by myself. I am able to be a soloist and play more complex pieces. It has more freedom than playing with an ensemble.” When Tim is not working on becoming a flute virtuoso, he spends his time drawing in his room. However, he doesn’t like to talk about his drawings and is a self-described “closet artist.” “Tim doesn’t show his drawings to friends, but has a cork board set up in his room with a light that illuminates his drawings,” Rex said. “He is a pretty serious artist and spends hours drawing.” On top of their involvement in the arts, the Fernando brothers are currently pursuing their shared love for running by participating in Cross Country in the fall and running in their free time. It is evident they have the determination and drive necessary to spread their love of the arts to others.