Brooklyn Gordon (Parkwood Middle)
What are your most and least favorite subjects and why?
My favorite subject this year is math. I also really like my science and AgTech classes. We are learning about horticulture and animals. One of our projects was to create a proposal where we had 1,000 acres and had to design a farm with a million dollars. We drew a poster, wrote our liabilities, and made job applications and budgets. People from the county came and looked at them to determine if our ideas were sustainable.
My least favorite is PE (physical education) because I don’t like to exercise.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why?
I would travel to Las Vegas on Dec. 16 to watch the NFR, which is the National Finals Rodeo. I’m interested in it because I *barrel race and *pole bend. My favorite racer, Hailey Kinsel, has qualified for four years and has won three of those years. She’s going again this year, so I’d love to watch her.
I’ve been riding for six years and competing in rodeo for three years.
*Pole bending is a timed event that features a horse and one mounted rider running a weaving or serpentine path around six poles arranged in a line.
*Barrel racing is a rodeo event in which a horse and rider attempt to complete a clover-leaf pattern around pre-set barrels in the fastest time.
What careers interest you?
I want to be a motivational speaker or do something in agriculture. We are a very religious family and I help with the youth group at school. That’s always been important to me and I love *Sadie Robertson so I want to do things like that. *Sadie Robertson is an American Christian speaker, actress, businesswoman, podcaster, and author.
I want to be a motivational speaker because I feel like everyone goes through hard times. My hard time was in sixth grade because I wasn’t very popular and I didn’t have many friends. We went to this place called “Winter Jam” and there was a speaker, Angie Wilson, who is a singer, and her story helped me. Then I watched her videos and found Sadie Robertson. I feel like when you go out to talk to people and tell them what you’ve been through, they feel like if you’ve come out of something, they can come out of something, too.
I want to do it to connect with people. Riding and horses are my background, so I want to do it there where there are a lot of people and where I have my place.
What clubs or activities do you participate in? And why?
My best friend and I started the Parkwood Youth Club at our school. Our church helped us with snacks and food. We had people come and it got bigger and bigger. Last year, we had about 100 kids. This year, it’s grown even more.
I’m also the FFA (Future Farmers of America) president. Every month, we have a chapter meeting for officers and members. We help plan events, take care of the nursery and help with the compost.
If you had to choose between spaghetti or pizza, which would you choose?
I would choose pizza because the way my family makes spaghetti is not the best. We eat pizza often because there is one close to our house. My favorite topping is pepperoni. If we go to Little Caesars' it has to be the thick crust, and anywhere else, it has to be thin.
What three words best describe you?
- Determined: I will not do something I know I can’t finish. Once I get started, it gets done no matter what.
- Upright: I hold myself accountable. If I see someone doing something wrong, I tell them nicely and try to help them out.
- Caring: I care about the image I put out about myself. I always want to honor what my parents taught me and who I am.
What is your happiest school memory?
My happiest school memory was in seventh grade when we first had our See You at the Cross service here. We had more than 100 kids attend. We had a special speaker come.
What advice would you give your parents or teachers?
Sometimes when we are telling people how we feel it’s not us coming out as smart aleckey. It’s us expressing ourselves. When we are trying to tell you something that would help us out don’t take it as if we are trying to tell you what to do. Take it as we are trying to improve it to where it will benefit us and make it easier for you. Just listen and sometimes check in on us and make sure we are doing good.