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Schools

From Student's Struggles Came Success

University High grad Jeffery Watkins looks forward to independence and further study.

It hasn’t always been easy for Jeffery Watkins.

The 17-year-old 2011 graduate admits that he acted like a “knucklehead” as an underclassman, goofing around when he should have been studying and working hard in his classes.

Watkins blames his struggle on a difficult move from middle school, the competitive Paul Robeson Academy in Detroit.

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“Robeson was an old boys’ home, a very large school with five floors,” said Watkins. “It was a hard transition to University High School, which is basically three hallways.”

Early in his 10th-grade year, Watkins forged a relationship with his English teacher Andre Buford, who became his mentor throughout high school.

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“I enjoyed his classes, and as long as I got my work done, I was able to move my chair to his desk, and we talked about everything,” recalled Watkins, who lives in Detroit. “He opened my eyes and made the picture bigger for me.”

Discussing everything from what it means to be a knucklehead to the importance of working hard, Watkins clung to his mentor’s words and expanded his world view.

“He experienced some of the things I did in life, and we talked about life and college and how important it is to get good grades. Through him, I learned that the world is my oyster,” said Watkins.

This was the springboard Watkins needed, he said. Realizing that he can learn from life’s experiences, he spent the summer before his senior year working with the Michigan Department of Transportation youth mentoring program. Between hours spent clearing the freeways of garbage, Watkins soaked up all the guidance he was offered and learned some valuable business skills for the future.

“Over the summer, there were a lot of us participating, but in the fall, there were not as many students, probably only 100 or so, and we really opened up and talked,” said Watkins. “I learned professionalism and networking. Picking up trash wasn’t really the downfall; it was just the work. Mentoring and guidance was what it was all about for me.”

Overall, Watkins learned the art of selling himself and creating a positive impression on short notice.

“You never know when you will run into a CEO or manager of a company, even at a grocery store or walking down the street,” said Watkins. “You won’t always have a resume on you. You have to sell yourself within five minutes to that person, so how will you do it? I learned a lot about my own self-worth.”

This attitude certainly helped Watkins earn the John F. Kennedy Scholarship, $1,000 in recognition of the core values of leadership, education and community involvement.

Because his goals include living a luxurious life, Watkins plans to study accounting when he starts at Oakland University in the fall. His course load will include pre-algebra, Italian, philosophy and communications, he said. He is impressed with Oakland University as being a no-nonsense campus, he said.

“I think it will be awesome,” said Watkins. “It’s not a party school, so going there will fit me perfectly. I plan to just handle my business and keep on progressing.”

Because Watkins comes from a close-knit family, he feels comfortable living on a campus just right up Interstate 75, rather moving hours away from home and from his parents, Ramona Watkins, 53, and Jeffery Watkins, 55, and his sister, Ramona, 28.

Looking to quickly develop a bond with fellow students, Watkins will participate in Oakland University’s Connection Program, where he will attend classes with the same group of 20 or so students.

“That way, I can bond with a group of individuals and have a strong study thing going on with them,” he said.

But will Watkins experience transition challenges similar to his early high school years? Probably not, his mother said.

“I hope the transition from high school to college won’t be as tough,” she said. “He will have to get used to managing himself with all the freedom he will have. He can have a good time on the weekend, as long as he does his work during the week.”

But Ramona Watkins doesn’t expect her son will become a stranger.

“He will love it up there, and on the weekends I am sure I will see him at home, at least for the first two years, as he gets settled,” she said.

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