Photo and story by Jaylyn Sutton

On the first day at Provine High School, Madysin Bratton thought her experiences would mirror or at least be as fun as those depicted in “High School Musical.” However, in the end, her eyes opened, and she realized high school was not as glorious as it seemed on TV. This caused her to understand that life was not exactly as she thought it to be, either.

From that day on, Bratton changed her attitude.

Bratton is 15 years old and is an upcoming sophomore at Provine. She was raised in a neighborhood called the Washington Addition in Jackson. She is a very laid-back, intelligent person. She loves to relax and spend time with her family.

“The most inspiring person to me is my older sister, Jakelsia,” Bratton says. “She put herself through college, and she also bought and paid for her first car all by herself.”

Her sister was never motivated to go to college, but decided to anyway. Bratton wishes to find independence and motivation similar to that of her sister.

Bratton is aspiring to become a dental lab technician, a position focusing on communicating and collaborating with the dentist to plan, design and create dental prostheses for individual patients. She decided on this career because she thinks the job will keep her on her toes and because she will have the ability to always be creating something new.

The young woman lives on the west side of Jackson in one of the city’s more dangerous areas. She has dreams that her community will become safer and an easier place for her and her family to live.

“Even me her making videos about the community could help,” she says.

Bratton is using her Youth Media Project training to bring more knowledge about the condition of the neighborhood and possible solutions. She plans to continue to thrive to the top and keep pushing to reach her aspirations and dreams.

YMP student journalist Jaylyn Sutton is an 11th grader at Murrah High School.