“Accomplished” is one of the many ways that you could describe junior Ethan Elumba. Not only does he take all honors and AP classes while maintaining a perfect GPA, he is involved in more programs and activities than I can count on one hand. Elumba is dedicated to each and every one of these activities, and his long list of awards illustrates just that.

In the fall, he is a part of the theater program, where in 2013 he won the Reach for The Stars Award–an accolade for up-and-coming actors and actresses at AVHS. He is also an avid member of the choir program, and made it into the ACDA Honor Choir in 2015, and the MMEA Allstate choir in 2017. Furthermore, Elumba was a soloist in our school’s production of Broadway in 2015 and 2016, and to be honest, he was pretty amazing.

In addition to his participation in the arts, Elumba is involved in athletics at AVHS. In the winter, he participates in swimming and diving, winning several awards as part of the team: 2014 Rookie of the Year, two-time South Suburban Conference Honorable Mention, section finalist three years in a row, state qualifier in 2015, and 2016 Diver of the Year.

With a list of accomplishments that long for swimming and diving alone, it is no surprise that Elumba was voted captain of the swim team for the 2016-2017 season.

All of that may seem like a lot to balance for a high school student, but there’s even more. Elumba is a member of NHS, a student council officer, an Eagle Scout, and a volunteer for the Apple Valley’s ATC with the school’s athletic trainer.

Which is why is it no surprise that Elumba was presented with the Excel Award, which is given by the Minnesota State High School League to students who show excellence in community, education, and leadership. Beyond that, Elumba was presented with the Harvard Prize Book award just last Friday.

However, there’s one thing that Ethan is truly known for: his cupcakes.

Elumba started baking cupcakes a few years back, “It’s a funny story,” said Elumba on the start of his baking escapade.  “I was on Facebook (sitting) on the stairs, and I saw this video of a recipe for Nutella cupcakes, and I’m like oh my God I love Nutella, why not make them?”

Elumba ended up making them and they were “bomb,” so he decided to explore the world of possibilities that is cupcake baking. That, folks, was the birth of the infamous “E Cakes.”

Continuing to craft cupcakes, he began to bring them for his friends in the marching band and then the swim team. The results were always the same: people loved them.

“I started taking suggestions for different types of cupcakes,” said Elumba. “And I was like why not make an instagram account?”

His account has attracted a lot of attention from fellow friends and cupcake-lovers, or “cake-aholics” as he calls them. With every batch of cupcakes comes a batch of hungry friends willing to test them out… even I have been guilty of doing so. (They have my stamp of approval, by the way.)

From french silk pie to Fruit Loop, the types of cupcakes baked in Elumba’s kitchen are all very unique. “I get a lot of my ideas ironically from Pinterest,” said Eluma. “It’s like, you know, the go to arts and craft place, but Buzzfeed occasionally will have baking stuff, and even Snapchat.”

Not only does Elumba search for cupcake specific recipes, but he also looks for general dessert ideas that he can turn into cupcakes. “You just try to put a little spin on it,” said Elumba. “Then it just kinda pops out of the oven in a cute little cupcake baby.”

From academics, arts, and athletics, Ethan Elumba is full of accomplishments, but there’s one thing that really stands out with Ethan: his delicious E Cakes.