Maxwell Hamilton has been praised for his dedication to the Warsaw Community High School band and for self-improvement. As an elementary student, Hamilton got his start in choir before jumping to percussion in middle school. His family, largely musicians, keeps him focused and motivated to improve.“I was flattered a classmate nominated me,” he said of being a part of the 20 Under 20. “I didn’t even know I was good enough be considered at this level. I didn’t really know I was this good.”Working in percussion, he’s as much a scientist as a musician. He experiments to find the right sound, also working with the Symphony of the Lakes and the Grace College Wind Ensemble.He says it’s his job to find unique sounds to accompany other instruments, and he’s recently discovered the marimba. “It’s a unique sound,” he said. “You can get so many different feels, loud or soft, depending how you play it. You can play many types of genres.”He enjoys ’80s rock and anything by Queen, and also follows competitive marching band drum corps competitions. During marching band season, Hamilton plays snare drum. He wants to continue in marching band and become a music teacher.