Elgin native likes his monster job

Elgin native Scott Buetow has been following his dreams since he was 6 years old and his dad put him on a Suzuki 50 dirt bike.

He said he's been an adrenaline junkie ever since.

In the same gymnasium that Buetow used to play basketball as a kid, the Team Hot Wheels Monster Jam driver had some advice for Larsen Middle School students. "Think big, dream big and follow your dreams," he said Tuesday at a school assembly.

More than 700 students also watched a video as Buetow flipped, jumped and practically flew through the air in his 10,000-pound monster truck.

Buetow told the kids that he attended Coleman Elementary School, Larsen, Elgin High School and then Elgin Community College.

"It's surreal being back here at Larsen," said Buetow, acknowledging he hadn't been back at Larsen since his eighth-grade graduation in 1984.

After the assembly students went outside to get an up-close look at the giant monster truck that towered almost 12 feet in the air. They also were able to get autographs from Buetow.