Potential Magazine Summer 2017 | Page 54

teen spotlight photography by Shelby Berry stats 18, Senior at Autauga Academy notable Autauga Academy Christmas Basketball Tournament MVP; Black History Essay Contest First Place Award Winner; AISA Regional Tournament All Tournament Team Member 2017; AISA Class 1A Football State Champion Team Member 2016 quotable “Put God first in everything, and everything will be okay.” his story At Autauga Academy, Jordon shines both on the court and off. He has received numerous awards for his skills in basketball, including MVP of the Autauga Academy Christmas Basketball Tournament and Honorable Mention for All Metro Basketball 2015-2016. Jordon is involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the choir at New Life Missionary Baptist Church, and the Brother-to-Brother mentoring program. He explains, “Brother-to-Brother is a mentoring program for younger boys and helps them to become better men in life. I can talk to them about good and bad things, like what not to do in certain situations.” what’s next Jordon plans to continue his legacy on the court, sharing, “My goal is to play professional basketball and then become a coach so that I can pay it forward to the next generation after me. I was always told if you put your mind to it, it can happen. So even if I come up short, I want to help those younger than me succeed.” jordon parks PG (parental guidance) rating When asked to name something about his family that makes him proud, Jordon answered, “I am proud to be part of a family that works hard to achieve what we want.” He added, “My fam- ily is my biggest inspiration. They keep me going and focused during the hard times, and are always there to support me.” Montgomery, AL parents’ perspective Renee admires Jordon’s love for his family, and comments, “He has a fun-loving personality and a positive outlook. I also admire his drive and determination to work hard at the things he wants.” parent-to-parent “The best advice I could give is to love your child un- conditionally, to teach them about God’s love for them, and that it’s okay to make mistakes because mistakes are learning tools.” Teen Spotlights are eligible for a $500 Scholarship - Nomination forms at www.potentialmagazine.com/spotlights L30 | Summer 2017 www.potentialmagazine.com