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Health & Fitness

What Does It Take to Become A Teenage Success

I guess it depends on what your idea of a teenage success truly is, but today I had the opportunity to get to know a young man from Parkville High School, named Brandon Johnson a little better, and I think "success" would be an apt descriptor of this teenager!

Brandon comes from a Baltimore family - he was born in DC, but raised in Baltimore, by his parents, with whom he absolutely gets along!  His dad works for the railway system, and the two of them enjoy their time together riding bikes as well as the rails.  

This morning on the morning announcements, Brandon found out that he had been elected to the Parkville High School Student Government as its president.  Not a bad position for a junior who ran against a senior!  That win came on the heels of the announcement that he has also been selected as one of 8 student representatives on Baltimore County Public School Superintendent, Dr. Dallas Dance's Student Advisory Committee.  

What does the Student Advisory Committee do?  According to Brandon, it is a committee created by Dr. Dance, so that the Board can get an idea of how students are thinking.  The students can make recommendations on behalf of students, but also can voice their opinions on what is happening in the school system in general.  Dr. Dance uses their thoughts and suggestions to implement change throughout the system, and occasionally creates something entirely new based on what he hears from his Student Advisory Committee.  

For Brandon, this is only the beginning.  After college, Brandon plans to run for a Delegate position in the Maryland General Assembly.  He hopes to follow that service up with a stint as a US Congressman.  If that doesn't work out, he plans to attend law school, become a professor and work on becoming a Senator.  When I asked him if he wanted to go much further than that, he got a bit of a sparkle in his eye.  I thought for sure he was going to say that he wanted the whole ball of wax. I was sure he was going to run for President one day.  Instead, he said, "did you know I am the Legislative Director to the Baltimore County Student Council Executive Board? I really love legislation.  That's why I want to be in the Senate."

He might just get there.  Brandon holds three famous men in high esteem, and looks on them as having inspired him to follow his own dreams.  Martin Luther King, Jr., for his fortitude and acceptance of the fact that because of the path he had chosen, he had guaranteed a shorter lifespan for himself; Abraham Lincoln for his vision and determination; and Barack Obama because every time he thinks about where President Obama is today, he remembers that he came from nothing.  Brandon feels that if someone as incredible as President Obama can accomplish so much from a childhood without a father, and without a whole lot of money, imagine what he can do with two supportive parents, living life with nary a want, and no needs left unmet.  Brandon's uncle, Thurmond Jones, was a County Councilman in Prince George's County, Maryland, and he looks to him for guidance and inspiration.  Following in his uncle's footsteps wouldn't be a bad thing. 

After finding out about Brandon's aspirations, though, I wanted to know about him as a teenager.  What does he like to do in his free time, how does he like school, and what would he do if he were king for a day.  Even then, it was hard to keep him away from his dreams!

Brandon likes to listen to Tina Turner and James Brown when he's in the mood for music, and he enjoys riding his fixed gear trick bike either out with his dad or on his own.  He is taking some really interesting courses, from AVID to a few AP classes, to USMC JROTC.  Brandon enjoys mixing it up, and says that if he were principal of Parkville for a day, he would bring in some fast food for the cafeteria.  People hate cafeteria food, and while he doesn't really mind it, fast food would be an incredible addition to the school lunch system!

Last question, Brandon:  If you were king of the world for a day, what would you do?  "End homelessness."  It didn't take a second for Brandon to come up with that answer.  

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