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Justin
Folliard Receives Multiple Recognitions
Justin Folliard might be going to summer school, but it’s not because of bad grades. In fact, it’s just the opposite. His friends call it “smart summer school,” but the three-week intensive program Justin will be taking is part of Johns Hopkins’ Center for Talented Youth program in Marine Science at Notre Dame College in Baltimore. Justin Folliard, a soon-to-be eighth grader at Oklahoma Road Middle School will be taking college-level classes for two weeks and then spend a final week out on the Chesapeake Bay studying blue crabs. Quite an exciting summer, but the road to where he is now is just as exciting. After receiving high test scores on the standardized Maryland State Assessments (MSA’s) in 7th grade, Johns Hopkins University asked Folliard to take the SAT’s along with about 50 of his peers at Liberty High School. He scored very well, higher than an average high school senior in mathematics, and JHU invited him to take the three-week course. This is not the first time Justin has been in advanced summer courses, though. Last summer, he took a course in Crystals and Polymerics at Garrison Forest in Owings Mills, also part of the JHU program. In addition, he has the opportunity to take one free four-credit college course at McDaniel College. He does not know what he wants to take yet, but he only has until 2009 to take the class. But wait, there’s more. Two weeks before school let out for summer, Justin received a letter inviting him to the National Young Leaders State Conference in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He had been nominated by his science teacher, Megan Barber for having the “scholastic merit, maturity and responsibility to represent Maryland.” Quite a compliment, and also very accurate.
His mother, Ann Williams, talked about his various recognitions and accomplishments. She described him as very well-rounded, excelling in school and in sports. Justin has been on the Sykesville Cyclones travel baseball team for two years and plays d-line for the Sykesville Raiders football team. Last year, the Raiders won the Superbowl and played at M&T stadium. He will also be starting basketball in the winter. Justin says that he would ideally like to go to Penn State for engineering and play on one of their teams. “Their engineering program is supposed to be best in the country or something like that,” he said. Although he has quite a while before he needs to be looking at colleges, his mother is proud that he is looking. Williams previously worked at NASA as an electronics technician. She suspects this is where Justin got his interest in engineering, in addition to his skills in math and science. Williams and her son moved into her sister, Catherine McDonald’s house in 1999. Williams is a single mother without child support, so McDonald says that it was a positive decision, as the two families get along well and help each other. Justin and his cousin, Tricia, became “like a brother and sister,” complete with blaming each other for messes. Williams helped with housework when McDonald became disabled from cancer and an accident. “It’s been difficult going from a successful career to being disabled,” McDonald said, “but Ann’s been there to prop me up.” Justin has been lucky enough to receive financial aid for his programs so far, but there is still a significant cost to cover. Folliard has been looking to businesses for sponsorship for his National Leadership Conference in November, as the trip’s cost now stands at $1,459. All this could seems pretty overwhelming to most
people, but not for Justin. “I don’t really get stressed
out that easily.” |
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Not
only does he have all of these characteristics, but he is extremely
modest and humble. When asked about his friends’ reactions
to his accomplishments, he said, “Most of my friends don’t
even know… I don’t like to brag.”
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