Nominations

Nominated by Holli Coburn

“For being an outstanding scholar-athlete at Rangeview High School. Currently, Jordan has a 4.5 GPA, he is an aspiring aerospace or mechanical engineer. He is an active member of The National Honor Society, as well as a member of the RHS Varsity Football and Baseball. His hobbies Coaching little league football as an assistant, working, and reading the Bible. Jordan attributes his success to GOD, his parents, grandparents, and Pastors Alvin and Carmel Simpson of our church home, Emmanuel Christian Center!”

My Black Colorado Interview

What school do you attend and what year are you in?

I’m a junior at Range View High School. I play football and baseball and I like to spend time with my family and do many things to help people out.

What do you think others would say they like the most about you and why?

I feel like other people value me because I reach out to people when they’re going through certain situations and I’m very encouraging and uplifting. I keep a positive attitude around people, as well. 

What is the best advice someone has given you recently?

The best advice I’ve ever heard is just to be yourself and be who you indeed are and don’t try to change who you are to fit someone else’s image. At my school, we have this ‘No Place For Hate’ virtual assembly, and one of the speakers was football player Richard Sherman. He talked about how he was always bullied growing up because he liked to read and was into Star Wars and Harry Potter. He said that he got where he is today because he didn’t listen to the negative things other people said about him. Don’t try to fit into a whole life to change who you are.

What is one thing you want to get better at?

It would probably be interacting with more people because, even though I do know quite a few people, there’s sometimes where I don’t really interact or get involved as much as I should. It’s harder for me to open up to people I haven’t met before, so I’m trying to work on that.

What is one piece of advice adults need to hear, to help them connect with the younger generation better?

I feel like adults should be open to what you hear from the child to let them know that you care about their opinion and what they’re saying and what they believe.

What accomplishments or awards are you most proud of and why?

I’m most proud of getting awards for Spanish student of the year and one of the best writers in the 9th grade. Because it just lets me know that no matter how hard things are, there’s always a good outcome if you put in the work if you consistently work hard.

What do you think you want to do for a career and why?

I want to be a mechanical or aerospace engineer. I am interested in math and science and learning about how things are built and how things function and are put together. Once I become an engineer, I want to like to invest in doing my own business. More children of color could be exposed to STEM careers and have more opportunities because many children of color don’t get a chance to see what STEM is like or don’t get to take engineering courses.

What role did your family play in where you are today? 

My family plays a significant role in me gaining success because they set up many things that I have now like getting involved in activities. I probably wouldn’t be interested in STEM or being an engineer had they not got me involved in camps for learning about different careers or haven’t gotten into sports activities.

What would you say is the biggest hurdle you’ve had to overcome in education or success?

I’ll probably say one of the biggest hurdles I’ve had to overcome is school overall. When I first started off school, I used to struggle with it a lot. I didn’t take it seriously until about third grade. When I was younger all I wanted to be was a professional football player but then I realized like there’s more to life than football, and if I were to get hurt or I didn’t have any other football opportunities, I would need a backup plan. All I need to do is well in school to help open up more opportunities for me in life.