When most high schoolers choose an extracurricular, they opt to participate in activities such as sports, writing or visual art.

Freshman, Zachary Pressler, however, chose a more unique path. Performing in the Hillsborough Circus Place for seven years, Pressler has taken on a unique art and developed many interests and skills along the way.

Starting his journey at only six years old, Pressler had struggled with cooperation, but as he grew up, developing friendships and experiences taught him to gain strong connections with the people he works with. Pressler explains how he was first introduced to the circus and how his special passion came to be.

“I was influenced by a friend of my mother’s who went there and did the hula hooping very well,” Pressler said. “I saw it as super cool and that is what influenced me to go, and all my siblings and I went together.”

Pressler had some practice before he had his first official performance.

“The first show I was ever in, I was around seven-and-a-half years old and we were performing in front of all the parents at the school. We were going up on our unicycles, going around and doing tricks together and I fell and couldn’t get back up,” Pressler said. “Not that I physically couldn’t get back up but I [had a] hard time starting again. All of the people got off their unicycles, helped me up and we kept on going.”

Along with the impressive tricks and talents he had discovered, Pressler also learned about other crucial important skills necessary for both the circus and life.

“I learned a lot about how teamwork is very important,” Pressler said. “How you support the people you’re working with and help them out to make sure that you all get through.”

Starting his journey at only six years old, Pressler had struggled with cooperation, but as he grew up, developing friendships and experiences taught him to gain strong connections with the people he works with.

“The first show I was ever in, I was around seven and a half years old and we were performing in front of all the parents at the school. We were going up on our unicycles, going around and doing tricks together and I fell and couldn’t get back up,” Pressler said. “Not that I physically couldn’t get back up but I hard time starting again. All of the people got off their unicycles, helped me up and we kept on going.”

Throughout these years of training on unicycles, stilts and globes, Pressler was led to the discovery that performing is his interest.

“I would love to continue it, not as a profession or future job but just as a fun activity on the side,” Pressler said. “In the aspect of acting and performing, though, I am very interested in TV production and performance.”