By Laila Henderson
When he found out his family was moving again, it wasn’t really news to Jeremy Thomas. They were relocating for the fifth time in his life, moving 29 miles from Florence, Miss., to Bolton. When it came time for them to move, Thomas did not even question it. He just packed his games, Xbox and viola, got into the car and rode to his new home in rural Hinds County.
“It was hard moving from place to place,” Thomas reflects. “I got tired of trying to make new friends every time. I didn’t get to keep a lot of stuff. Every time we moved, I had to get rid of something.”
In this case, Thomas had to leave behind his TV, many of his clothes—and his friend Maddox.
Now 16, Thomas lives in Bolton with his mother, stepfather and younger brother. His mother seemed to work a lot when he was younger, “probably to afford to move around,” he quips, but it appears to him she has settled down more. In reality, the family had to relocate often to find cheaper rent or job opportunities for his mother, so Thomas had to attend several different schools including Clausell Elementary, Raymond Elementary and Florence Elementary.
Thomas recalls his transition from Raymond to Florence at around 11 years old, saying this move then increased the quality of his education, as he was able to take more advanced classes. “I took honors math and honors science,” he recalls. He prefers taking advanced classes because he enjoys his peers and considers them to be more “interesting,” stating that he generally likes to “surround (himself) with smarter people.”
In 6th grade in Florence, Thomas even started playing the viola. He joined the Mississippi Youth Orchestra, where he was one of only three students playing the instrument, as most of the students preferred playing the violin or cello. He enjoyed playing pop songs such as “Uptown Funk” and “That’s What I Like,” both by Bruno Mars. One of his most memorable moments in the orchestra was when they traveled to Texas to play at a concert.
Thomas’ grades took a major dip after the sudden death of his uncle Jay, though, who was in his late 20s. “I went from A’s and B’s to D’s and C’s and the occasional F,” he says. He was close to his uncle. “We used to play Call of Duty and Battlefield 4 together. I stopped playing video games after that,” he says.
It was after his uncle’s death that Thomas’ family moved to Bolton, where he was unable to take as many advanced classes, and he stopped taking as much interest in school as once had. Still, Thomas plans on taking AP Biology and other college-prep courses next summer. He is interested in subjects such as medicine, geography and history and wants to pursue a career in dermatology.
At first, Thomas was unsure about what he wanted to do as a career, originally considering being an engineer, but upon researching different medical professions, he says, “It seemed like dermatology is the best fit for me.” He also strives for a comfortable life, as he did not have one growing up. “I’m trying to be like Mansa Musa,” he proclaims of the ninth ruler of the Mali Empire known for his wealth.
He also wants to give back to his mother, Jacquelet Williams. “When I get rich, I want to buy my mama a house. I also want to get my mom a new car,” he says. He attributes his pursuit of his goals to his mother, as she is his main motivator. This is why he immediately jumped at the opportunity to join the Youth Media Project, signing up with the help of his mother. He believes the Youth Media Project will help him reach his goals, and now that he has joined the program, he realizes that it will help improve his skills in English and writing.
“I am improving,” he says.
Click here to read more about Laila Henderson, who wrote this piece about fellow Youth Media Project student journalist Jeremy Thomas.
