STUDENT AMBASSADOR
Step Up and Help Build Our Future
By Jalen Derricks
Going through life, we hear people talk about tomorrow. We hear about and see people planning the future. But what is the future? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines future as something “that is to be” or “of, relating to, or constituting a verb tense expressive of time yet to come”.
So, what does the future hold; what will it look like many years down the line? While no one truly knows the answer to this, some people think they have an idea, some people who have dreams of what it will look like, some people who have doubts, and some people who have hope. Many people put a lot of thought into the future, but how many are working towards a bright future?
The future holds the lives of our younger and future generations. What is done today impacts our future. It is time that we get involved in businesses and industries that affect us. This is especially important in our co-ops because they serve us, the member-owners, and we have a voice. The decisions they make in today’s time will affect our lives later. So, to my generation, let’s start now in building OUR future.
So again, let’s step up, use our voices, get involved, and build OUR future.
About Jalen Derricks
Jalen, Southern Pine’s 2022 Student Ambassador, works closely with the Southern Pine communications team and will represent Southern Pine at community events throughout the Southern Pine territory. In addition, he assists with a variety of communications projects, including web design, social media management, writing and editing, and graphic design.
A junior at Scott Central High School in Forest, Jalen plans to major in journalism in college. He has a strong interest in creating and has his own business where he designs and makes various promotional products. Jalen also designs and edits websites and has experience in photography and videography.
Jalen is also the junior class president at Scott Central, serves as yearbook photographer and editor, is band president, and is active in several other organizations. He is the son of Chris and Syreeta Derricks of Forest.
