State Youth of the Year winner wins honor in Cheyenne
SALLY ANN SHURMUR Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Thursday, February 14, 2008 12:00 am
Joelon Jackson, a senior at Natrona County High School, and state Rep. Steve Harshman have spent a lot of time together.
Lots of sweating, lots of lifting, lots of highs, a few lows.
But Tuesday afternoon on the floor of the House chambers in the State Capitol in Cheyenne was perhaps the best moment of all.
Harshman, Jackson's football coach, introduced the scholar-athlete just after he was named State Youth of the Year representing 10,000 Boys & Girls Clubs members from throughout Wyoming.
"There was thunderous applause," said Ashley Bright, chief professional officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming.
Jackson said his coach talked about coaching him and teaching him.
"It was amazing, just a great feeling," Jackson said.
Sen. Drew Perkins of Casper also introduced him on the Senate floor and the reaction was much the same.
The State Youth of the Year contest starts with an enormous application and numerous essays and letters of recommendation. It ends in a grueling one-day event that includes a one-on-one interview with a panel of judges and a speech to a luncheon audience. On Tuesday, that group included numerous legislators, state government officials and dignitaries.
Thanks to former University of Wyoming president Philip Dubois, the State Youth of the Year winner receives an eight-semester tuition and book scholarship to the University of Wyoming.
For 18-year-old Jackson, who has his sights set on a career in law, that's a very good thing.
Raised by his single mother, Reva, Jackson said before UW came through, the prospect for college was honestly "really slim."
"But now UW is looking really great," he said.
His mom moved him to Casper 10 years ago from California "because she thought it would be a better place to raise me."
He has been a Boys & Girls Club member the entire time.
"He nailed his speech," Bright said. "There was no doubt."
Jackson, who was the only finalist who didn't use notes, said he thinks his speech was the clincher.
"That did it and the way I connected with the judges during the interview process," Jackson said.
The judges were Susan Samuelson of Cheyenne, Sparky Turner of Denver, representing the Daniels Fund; Dr. Brent Hathaway, dean of the College of Business at the University of Wyoming, and Caren Murry of Cheyenne. Hathaway announced the winner at the close of the luncheon.
"He had such a professional and business approach to the whole process," Bright said. "Right from the start, his leadership just rained through."
It was an intense 36 hours for Jackson, who traveled with his team to Rock Springs for a makeup basketball game with the Tigers on Monday night. Bright picked him up at his home at 11:45 p.m., on Monday, they drove to Cheyenne, got to bed about 3 a.m., and the competition started at 7:15 a.m. on Tuesday.
"The schedule kind of added to the drama," Bright said.
Bright will accompany Jackson to Dallas in mid-June for a regional Youth of the Year event featuring winners from nine states. A win there results in $10,000 in additional college scholarship money. If he wins there, he'll be the first regional winner from Montana or Wyoming, according to Bright.
Jackson wrote in an essay, "I live my life like a track star chasing my dreams."
He passed the first hurdle in Cheyenne on Tuesday and is leading heading to the finish line.
Community News editor Sally Ann Shurmur can be reached at (307) 266-0520; sallyann.shurmur@trib.com or see her profile and blog at my.trib.com/Sal/blog