Student of the Semester: Braden Data
By Avery Calvert
Kind, responsible, curious, hard-working, bright, and studious are all words to describe 7th grade Student of the Nine Weeks, Braden Data. Each semester, teachers choose the student they feel has displayed the most positive traits within the classroom; this truly makes them stand out among their peers.
Teacher Mrs. Butchy voices it the best. “Braden is a quiet leader in the classroom; he takes initiative in group activities, and his work is always polished. He is not one to accept mediocrity, and he respectfully holds his classmates to a higher standard as well,” she explains. “In class discussions, I can always count on Braden as my fact-checker; his curiosity, thirst for knowledge – and speedy online research – always enriches the topic at hand. Also, if you need a good daily pun, you can count on this guy.”
Clearly, humor is important to Braden. “My favorite class this year is science because Mr Flood is a funny teacher.” Another attribute that is crucial to Braden’s success is his work ethic; praise for his hard work was a recurring theme in comments from his teachers. Mrs. Delany declares, “Braden is a very bright student who works hard, participates in class and is able to maintain excellent academic success while being involved in many outside activities and sports.”
As much as Braden values school, he values his extracurriculars just as much. He is an active member of the Lawrence County Young Guns and enjoys shooting skeet and sporting clays. He also runs distance for Jr. High track and Cross Country. Braden is very involved in the music wing as he is a member of both jr. high band and choir; he takes acoustic and electric guitar lessons outside of school as well. Mrs. Leali is certainly appreciative of Braden’s drive musically: “Braden is a kind student who is always ready to work and has a smile on his face.”
Being as busy as Braden is requires extra effort to ensure everything gets done. “My strongest trait as a successful student is good time management. I have worked build this trait by completing work on time and being prepared for future assignments.” While this work ethic sets Braden apart and leads him to be a role model among his peers, he has a few inspirations of his own that motivate him. “My parents motivate me because they push me to always study and work hard.” Aside from his parents though, “my role models are the older kids on my clay shooting team, The Lawrence County Young Guns, because they are kind, polite, and hardworking.” Being a positive role model to other people then inspires them to be positive role models to others as seen here.