My son has decided to run for class president...

[M.D. Holloway]

He came home at the beginning of the week and said "Dad, I'm going to run for class president." Oh boy...

So he had to fill out a questionnaire. He typed it, rewrote it, rewrote it again and again. Here is what he came up with:

What leadership roles have you had:

I am currently working towards by Eagle Scout rank within Boy Scouts. Over the past several years I was trained and voted into various leadership roles within my troop such as Troop Guide, Troop Instructor, Assistant Patrol Leader and Senior Patrol Leader. Over the past 3 years I have planned the camp outs and activities including recruitment, logistics, procurement of supplies, camp and food preparations, activities and training sessions. Recently I started a metal fabrication business were I recruited different talent and managed my team to become a profitable entity. I recognized each ones talent and directed them towards an end purpose. During the course of this I taught myself how to spot and MIG weld in order to help in the fabrication of salable items such as bumper grills and meat smokers.

Why do you want to be an officer:

I’m not the smartest kid, or the best athlete. I don’t come from a rich family and I’m not the best looking by far. What I am is no different than any student in school. I’m want to be class president because I want to serve this class and I feel I am the best candidate to do the job. When we look back at who inspired us most, it isn’t the one that was designed to win, it wasn’t the person who was provided all the opportunities. It was that person who no one thought would do it, it was the underdog. They gave us hope to believe that just maybe with enough grit and determination that an underdog could win. That maybe determination for a goal and hard work meant that almost anything was possible. Let us make this possible. Let us provide a message that a kid, an “every-kid” so to speak can rise and have a voice for other kids and just maybe there will be someone else, someone whose voice is never heard can one day be heard. Someone that feels they don’t matter will learn they do matter. Maybe that someone will see that anything is possible if you are willing to try and never give up. I’m a person who doesn’t know the word quit.

What is a leader:

A leader is easily recognized but sometimes tough to define. Is it someone with smarts? Is it someone who is aggressive? Is it someone who is looking out for others? Or is it someone who has a voice for the quiet, an ability to focus when there is no light, the strength to push when there is no strength left. To break it down to 3 characteristics that define a leader is not easy. To identify the characteristics that make me a great leader is easy to recognize. First is my ability to relate to all types of kids; the athletes, the AP kids, to gamers, the Em-mos, the band-jocks, and the kids that are just minding their own business and don’t want to be labeled. I don’t judge anyone. I don’t belong to any one clique or tribe. I can relate to the wide spectrum of kids. Secondly is my drive. When given a challenge or a task there is very little that will stop me from achieving a goal and its due to my ability to keep my eyes on the prize. To be able to focus on the task at hand. Third is my ability to never quit the task at hand. Some leaders have great intentions but they fall short and lose their teams respect because they gave up. There is no quit in me. I don’t give up. So my 3 leadership characteristics are 1) being of the people 2) having disciplined focus 3) having strength and endurance.


Describe a situation where you had to deal with a difficult person:

I have a close friend of mine who has a physical condition that will end his life sooner than mine. A condition that makes his muscles very stiff. It makes his walk unsteady and he tires quickly. But of all the years I have been in Scouts with him I never saw him quit. It would have been easy for him to do so. His parents didn’t allow it and it wasn’t part of who he is. He does his best and his best is better than many. This had an impact on me. I saw other boys who had other problems. No boy was normal but then what is normal? There was one boy who was terrified by a lightning storm, bugs and didn’t like the color green. He has autism. I know another scout who felt he just didn’t fit in with anyone because he thought ‘different’. He thought a lot. He is smart. Smarter than the other boys but felt alone and would sometimes challenge the adults and scouts. He was an obvious pain but the leaders gave him grace and so did I. Because all people have a voice. What I saw was ambition and purpose in these young men and they just needed representation and a voice to be heard. Someone to relate and recognize. So I did just that. I saw this and knew that my purpose was to continue on with what I saw great leaders do. To allow others to have purpose and a voice while providing direction. I went on to lead my troop as patrol leader carrying down the message from leadership above. I want to be that person in my school, town, state, country and world who will hear what the silent say. I want to represent and help make our school, town, state, country and world better by being their voice. A leader isn’t someone who barks orders and expects to be followed. A leader is someone who understands the right path and shows others how to walk that path while providing direction to those who can’t see while listening to those who may have a silent voice. The leaders in my troop bring those together and that is the leader I aspire to be.

What motivates you to put forth your best effort:

I don’t read well. I don’t write well. I have had to rewrite these pages many times because it is not easy for me. I have dyslexia and I don’t see letters and numbers the way others might. They get turned around in my head. I also don’t always pronounce words the right way. I was told at a young age that it was part of what they called a disability. So for the longest time I was convinced I had a disability. I know what a disability is now and I don’t have one. My Mom has one. She is blind. She went blind a few years ago and it wasn’t easy on any of us but somehow she pulled herself up and made the decision not to let her lack of vision take away from what she could experience in life. When I think that I can’t do something, I close my eyes and try to do it without seeing such as writing, or reading, or pretty much anything. I quickly realize that I have to keep going because as hard as I think I have it, not being able to see would be that much harder. So when I speak in public, even though I know certain words are hard for me to say, I still have a voice to be heard and something to say. So I speak.

Describe a situation in which you worked as part of a team:

I could say scouts or the Clay Target Team but the best team I am part of is my family. We each have a role and sometimes the roles change according to what is needed and who is around. My Mom stays home with the 3 dogs, 1 of which is her seeing-eye dog. She knows all the things that need to be done and where everyone is supposed to be. She is the General (and sometimes my dad calls her the Dictator) but she pretty much calls the shots. But she is limited. She can’t see well enough to really clean very well or organize things or even cook but she tries and gets it done for the most part but that’s where I have to step up. My father travels for work so he may fly out on Monday and not come back till Friday. When he is home, things get done, bought and fixed. But that’s limited to the weekends. So that leaves me and my 13yr old sister who is involved in soccer, volleyball, piano and violin to do what is needed. She is a gifted kid that excels in all of it but she needs to get places. My role in the house when my father is away is to be my Moms right hand and my sister’s transporter. I may make certain suggestions but it is my Mom that tells us what to do and I am expected to carry out the order. My father says you can’t lead until you learn to follow. It’s a chain of command. It is not always easy because there are times that I feel I am old enough to be the man of the house but I quickly learn that it is far more complex than I thought. I have been granted more and more responsibility having to drive my Mom and sister all over as well as run various errands almost constantly when my father is away but I have learned from it. I have learned to step up and to step back. To be able to take an order but also offer up a solution or idea. It’s a daily occurrence but the experience has provided me life lessons that will make be better because of it.

I will say one thing, he has the line of BS to be a politician!

[MBAtarga]

Mike - I see the beginnings of another book author!

[BK911]

Very well written.
Mine would have been much shorter....
Because chicks dig it!
Good luck to him!

[ckelly78z]

I congratulate to you on such a well spoken, and forward thinking son. If he achieves this, it will reflect nicely on his resume/college admissions rather like a degree itself. It shows that he isn't afraid to be a leader and set an example for all the ones who want no part of the spotlight.

My Junior son is fairly shy, and doesn't want any attention on him. Don't get me wrong, he's a good looking guy at 6'0", and 190 lbs with 7 years of Football muscle on him, and dimples that won't quit. Girls seem to fall all over him, and he has that "aw shucks country boy" attitude, and would rather wrench on cars and dirtbikes.

[Nostril Cheese]

Don't forget to throw a smidge of rebellion in the mix. Good for the soul. Kid sounds on point.

[URY914]

He's better that Trump and Hillary already.

[McLovin]

It doesn't read at all like something written by a 15/16 year old.

"I taught myself how to spot and MIG weld in order to help in the fabrication of salable items such as bumper grills and meat smokers." etc.

[winders]

I would think that:

"I am currently working towards by Eagle Scout rank within Boy Scouts."

Should be:

"I am currently working towards my Eagle Scout rank within Boy Scouts."

[Gogar]

I was class president and I tuned out great

[scottmandue]

Class President? Heck he should run for POTUS!

Too PARFy?

[Seahawk]

What a wonderful tribute:

"...but the best team I am part of is my family. We each have a role and sometimes the roles change according to what is needed and who is around."

That's gold, Jerry, gold.

[jyl]

I am very impressed at what your son wrote. I know you didn't ghostwrite it for him, because it is too good :-)

[craigster59]

I think it's time to print up some campaign coasters! Congratulations Mike!

[aigel]

^^^ LOL JYL - no enough speeling mistakes - Jr. seems to speel much better than his dad!

G

[Oh Haha]

This doesn't surprise me based on what Mike has shared about his son.

Good luck to him!

[Jeff Higgins]

Does he have his own email server?

[M.D. Holloway]

didn't ghost any of it - he must have had 8 drafts, I didn't help with any of it but he has read my books (the one that puts craigster to sleep)...