It’s the first week of school. Students from all four grades are spread across the front plaza during the second half of 5th period lunch. Suddenly, an opening in the crowd forms within the new freshman class. “What’s going on?” you wonder. A head of red hair emerges into the center of the circle. Before you can blink, a boy does a standing backflip, and the crowd erupts in cheers and applause.

Freshman Owen Ingram, better known as the Backflip Kid, has just earned his nickname.

Senior Ella Cate Hungeling said she witnessed this event in person.

“At first I thought it was a dance circle,” she said. “He was just standing there and then all of a sudden he did a flip. Then everyone said do it again, and he did it right there on the concrete. It was insane in the membrane.”

Ingram clarified that this was not the first time he displayed his talent for his classmates. On the first day of school, theology teacher Mrs. Amy Williams had her students talk about themselves in front of the class.

“We were doing an ice breaker thing, and I’m kind of people shy,” he said. “So I did a backflip instead of talking for the last minute.”

Once people starting noticing his talent, Ingram was asked to flip in all sorts of places, whether it was in a mall, on top of Stone Mountain during the freshman pilgrimage, or at open house while working at the swimming and diving table.

“One time I just walked into a class, did a backflip, and walked out,” he said.

Ingram has become a celebrity among the student body.

“I saw him once,” junior Henry Guynn said. “Best day of my life.”

Freshman Hunter Minne was excited to talk about his friend.

“Everyone knows about him,” he said. “But they should all know his name so they can send him fan mail.”

Learning most of what he knows from YouTube and his mom, who was a diver at UGA, Ingram can do an impressive list of acrobatics.

“I can also do a handstand, back handspring, front tuck and a webster.”

Ingram is also a diver, and he placed 4th at the GHSA state meet, contributing to the boys swim and dive team’s third consecutive state championship. However, he says his athletic skills are limited.

“I suck at every sport without acrobatics,” he said. “The other day I caught a football with my face.”

He shares his talents on stage as well with the Pius Players. Yep, he was the kid who did a backflip at the Fine Arts Assembly after they sang a selection from the spring musical “Newsies.” When asked how he balances a sport and drama, he said he “doesn’t sleep.”