By By KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER
Lifestyles & Features Editor
YEATESVILLE — Two weeks ago, Joshua Brookins graduated from Northside High School with his future pretty well mapped out.
This fall, he expects to begin Air Force basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. His interest was sparked during his four years with Northside’s Air Force JROTC program, in which he was color-guard commander, drill-team commander and member of the Kitty Hawk Air Society.
With a grandfather who served in the Army, Brookins has long been interested in a military career.
“For some reason, when I was a little kid the Air Force stuck out for me. When I was younger, I wanted to be a pilot,” he said.
He’s looking forward to his next step in life, but he admitted he’ll miss Northside High School.
“I’ll miss a lot of the teachers,” Brookins said. “What I liked the most about Northside is that it’s kind of small, it’s not real big.”
But the school is big enough to offer Brookins and other students a wide range of extracurricular activities. Along with his AFJROTC involvement, Brookins was active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Future Farmers of America, Student Government Association and the yearbook staff. In sports, he represented the Panthers well in the track and field, soccer and drill-team programs. Brookins is a recipient of several leadership, character and academic awards.
In the community, he volunteered with the Adopt-A-Highway cleanup program, assisted with Goose Creek State Park’s kayakalon and raised money for Relay for Life. In addition, he helped adopt a less-fortunate family at Christmas and, along with fellow AFJROTC cadets, he was involved with Bath’s Veterans Day activities, the Veterans of Foreign Wars poppy program and local parades.
Brookins, the 18-year-old son of Gregg and Valerie Brookins of Belhaven, is a member of Wilkinson Church of Christ in Pantego. He’s attended Bible camp and music-and-drama camp at Roanoke Christian Service Camp for several years and has enjoyed traveling and presenting Christian-oriented shows. His hobbies include playing guitar, video games, boating and tubing, soccer, volleyball and going to movies.
Brookins said he isn’t one to just sit idle. For two years, he’s worked as a mechanic and maintenance man for Radcliffe Marine in Belhaven.
“I’m used to being so busy all the time, always working, going to church and school,” he said.
Brookins was a recent award recipient in Beaufort County Schools’ character-education program. His trait of self-discipline caught the eye of Northside faculty, including Ashley Kuhns.
“When looking at students with self-discipline, it is easy to see that Joshua contains this quality above his peers,” Kuhns said in nominating Brookins for the honor. “He keeps himself presentable, holds himself at high moral and academic standards and respects the rules and standards set out before him and others in the school environment. Josh is on time and ready for the many various activities and organizations he participates in throughout the school year. He sets a good example for those around him to be prepared and disciplined as well. He is a fine student who reflects many great things and will succeed, due in part to his high self discipline as he moves on into his future.”
Teen Spotlight is a joint project between Beaufort County Schools and the Washington Daily News. The students profiled are selected by their respective school.
::SIDEBAR::
All about Joshua Brookins …
• Birthday: Sept. 26.
• Favorite school subject: physics.
• Favorite food: Olive Garden’s seafood portofino.
• Favorite TV show: “I like a lot of shows on the Discover Channel and History Channel, like Modern Marvels.”
• Favorite movie: “‘Star Wars Sega.’ I’m a huge Star Wars fan.”
• Favorite book: “Any kind of book on riddles. I like riddle books.”
• If he could spend a day in history with anyone, he would choose: “I’d like to meet Noah. God chose him and his family and destroyed the rest of the world, except for the animals. God chose an insignificant man and made his something special.”
• Dream vacation: “I’d like to go to Australia. I grew up a country boy, and I just want to go to the Outback and watch the kangaroos jumping around.”