Service to his community and personal development continue to be the driving forces for 2014 Scholar Treavon Tryon. Preparing to complete his first year at Texas A&M, the High School Valedictorian has chosen to major in Political Science, and it appears to be serving him well.
He says this year he’s been active in Intramural Football, and took part in the Excellence uniting Culture, Education and Leadership (ExCEL) program. Treavon also took part in the annual Freshman Leadership International trip to Costa Rica. He says the trip was focused on service, but they also had the opportunity to see some of the sights of the country. The trip has inspired him to learn to speak Spanish and spend time studying abroad.
Last year, Treavon was chosen to participate in a local listening session for the “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative. The White House program was launched by President Obama to promote growth and opportunity for boys and young men of color. The program’s goals include helping children read at their grade level, prepare them for college, and keep them safe from violent crime. The local listening sessions were designed to increase awareness of the program, as well as hear thoughts from the community about how the program directors can achieve their goals.
Treavon’s participation in the “My Brother’s Keeper” program is an expected step toward his goals. While he was still a student at Pro-Vision Academy, Treavon joined the “Manhood Development Program” which teaches young men moral, ethical and purposeful living through mentoring relationships with adult male role models. He writes, “The program has provided me with the courage and confidence to stand up and speak out against the things that impact those around me.”
Success didn’t come easily for Treavon, and he credits his family and community for helping to create a reliable and stable foundation for him to grow. He believes his mentors at Pro-Vision Academy have played a prominent role in his adolescence. From them he says he’s learned, “…life isn’t measure by years, but by the number of persons one impacts. I am motivated to be the same, if not greater, of an inspiration to many as many are to me.”
His mentors at Pro-Vision wrote of watching Treavon grow into the man he has become. Pro-Vision’s Assistant Principal Marcus Rucker wrote, “I have watched him dedicate countless hours after school to master a concept with which he may have recently struggled… Seeing this poised, self-aware and selfless young man make these strides reminds me why I joined the educational field.”
We at the Steve Francis Foundation hope Treavon continues to inspire, and be inspired by his classmates and professors at Texas A&M.