Ebright had a driving curiosity with a bright mind. From kindergarten, he began collecting butterflies, rocks, fossils and coins. He was interested in astronomy and would sometimes stargaze all night. His curiosity was so profound that his mother bought him equipment for his tests and studies. On reading 'The Travels of Monarch X' his interest in monarch butterflies was aroused and opened a new world of science to him. This was a crucial turning point in his life that later led him to being a wonderful scientist.