By By KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER
Lifestyles & Features Editor
Jason Freeman, a student at the Beaufort County Ed Tech Center, is a young man who has impressed his teachers.
“Honestly, Jason exhibits so many good character traits that we want all students here to exhibit,” said Lakisha Johnson, whose many duties at the school include serving as testing coordinator. “This is his senior year, and he’ll be graduating with our second graduating class. We’re really excited for him. Jason has really stood out to all his teachers, and he does really well in school and has good grades.”
Freeman is liked by the staff because he’s considered to have all the qualities of a great student, Johnson said.
“He conducts himself as a gentleman and shows respect and consideration for the feelings of others,” she said. “He comes to class with work on his mind, and he is not influenced by the actions of others. He is trustworthy and dependable and willing to account for his own actions, and he has no problem answering to authority, and he is a role model for other students to follow.”
Freeman, a quiet-spoken young man, was his school’s selection as its character-trait student of the month and its nomination for the Beaufort County Schools/Washington Daily News Teen Spotlight.
“I was surprised,” Freeman said. “My mom was happy.”
The 18-year-old son of Angela Barrow, he is in his third year at Ed Tech. He said he likes attending the school and his favorite classes include math and English, which he takes online.
He also had high praise for the teaching staff.
“They’re more active and they’ll do stuff and experiment in a different way,” Freeman said. “We get more personal attention here.”
Freeman is an advocate for the school’s Pathways program, which was designed to assist students who need help in achieving enough class credits to graduate from high school. The program targets students who may give up and drop out of school or who have already left school but wish to return and earn their diplomas.
“You can graduate with 21 credits,” Freeman said of the Pathways program. He said it gives students a leg up on reaching their goals.
Freeman’s hard work in school has landed him on the A-B honor roll, and he hopes to further his education at Beaufort County Community College by studying to be an auto mechanic or welder. He also wants to join either the National Guard or the Navy.
Freeman attends Sunday school and church services at First Baptist Church in Belhaven. When he’s not in school, he keeps busy helping neighbors cut grass and playing basketball, football and soccer.
Freeman said his mother is the most influential person in his life.
“She always told me to keep coming to school and try my hardest in everything I do,” he said.
That’s advice Freeman shares with his fellow students.
“Just come to school every day and do your work,” he said.
::SIDEBAR (gets headshot)::
All about Jason Freeman …
Grade and school: senior, Beaufort County Ed Tech Center.
Birthday: March 17.
Favorite book: “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.”
Favorite movie: “Fearless” with Jet Li.
Favorite TV show: “C.S.I. Miami.”
Dream job: “Making roller coasters or building cars.”
If he could spend one day with anyone in history, it would be: “Abraham Lincoln, because he was always truthful.”
Favorite food: pizza and fries.
Favorite entertainer: Lil’ Wayne.
Dream vacation: “I’d like to go to the Bahamas, because of the water.”