Football coaching legend Vince Lombardi once said, “Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.” This summer, three JA students set aside opportunities to rest and play to hone their leadership skills and prepare to serve within their communities. Two members of the class of 2022, Ashton Tate and Clayton Mahaffey, attended Boys State. Ninth grader Brooke Dennis-Singleton participated in the Trent Lott Leadership Institute. All three gained invaluable lessons and friendships through the programs they attended.
Senior Ashton Tate had a full summer – he attended Mississippi Boys State at the University of Mississippi, volunteered with JA’s SOAR program, and helped at Twin Lakes Summer Camp for a week. “I chose to spend my time at these events because they were things I am passionate about,” he said. “I attended Boys State to help me decide if politics and law was something I wanted to study in college. I helped with the SOAR program because of my love for the outdoors and God’s creation in nature. I helped work at Twin Lakes to teach kids about God and impact them as my counselors impacted me.”
From working to pass a city project at Boys State to leading 10 second and third grade students, Ashton encountered challenges that required him to practice problem-solving and resiliency – all while having fun. When asked to give a review of his summer, Ashton said, “If I had to review my summer, I would say it was pretty tiring. Coming back from the second rafting trip, I looked at W.T. and said, ‘Most people use the summer to calm down from the school year, but I think I use the school year to calm down from the summer.'”
Clayton Mahaffey also attended Boy’s State in Oxford, Mississippi. The week-long program focuses on teaching the structure and processes by which the American government operates. Attendees learn about township and state government, as well as service and leadership. “I thought it would be interesting and wanted to go learn more about the way politics and government work,” Clayton said.
Boys State is much more than listening to lectures. The activities students engage in enrich their time at the program and long after through experiential learning. Each student is assigned to a fictional political party that competes against other political parties in athletic competitions, politics, and a general election. This can make for an intense, busy week, but simultaneously, the program is a great way to make new friends and forge connections throughout the state. “The biggest lesson I learned is not to be afraid of getting out of your comfort zone and to make the most of all your experiences,” said Clayton.
Brooke Dennis-Singleton was nominated for, accepted to, and attended, the Trent Lott Leadership Institute for Rising Ninth Graders. After being nominated by their school, students earn their place in the program through a two-part application process that focuses on their leadership backgrounds and aspirations. During the institute, students take a for-credit course called Problems in American Democracy. The class is designed to increase student’s awareness of issues facing the United States today.
Recalling her initial reaction to her acceptance, Brooke said, “This program is a great honor, and I felt blessed to be selected. I was also excited to get a sneak-peek at the college experience as I begin to plan more seriously for my future.” Despite the institute being held virtually, Brooke found the experience rich with growth opportunities. “Going into it, I had many fears about taking a college course, but I did really well,” Brooke said. “I know this is because of the amazing education in and out of the classroom I receive here at Jackson Academy. I was more prepared than I thought.”
She also gleaned valuable life skills and insight, saying, “One of the most important lessons I learned was to go with the flow and be open to change and new experiences. Going virtual forced me to step out of my comfort zone as I built relationships with classmates from near and far without face-to-face contact.” Despite not being together in person, spending time with her community of students proved Brooke’s favorite part of the experience!
