Kevin Allen is not your typical teenager. Instead of on a sports field or at a bonfire, you\u2019re more likely to find him giving input at a Juneau School Board meeting, sitting at a committee hearing at the Alaska State Capitol or commenting during a Native Issues Forum at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. And he\u2019ll probably be wearing a suit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to look like the results I want,\u201d the 18-year-old said.<\/p>\n
Allen owns three suits, several suit jackets and about 20 ties. He doesn\u2019t just break them out for special occasions; he\u2019s been wearing a suit every day to school since second semester started.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I\u2019m going to be going into positions or jobs where one needs to look professional, I suppose I need to start getting used to it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Also unlike most teenagers, Allen knows exactly what he wants to do in life \u2014 hold public office.<\/p>\n
But he didn\u2019t know this a year ago. What led him to the decision was being the TMHS student government representative on the Juneau School Board, a position he held his senior year and took very seriously.<\/p>\n
Allen stayed for entire meetings, which sometimes lasted more than five hours and adjourn around 11 p.m.<\/p>\n
He said his experience with extracurricular activities like Model UN and Drama Debate Forensics taught him \u201cto be as active as possible in every single meet or competition that you\u2019re at, so you have to stay at the meeting no matter what the topic is about, and I wanted to apply that to my (school board) position.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI also wanted to know exactly what was going on, and it was something I found fun doing,\u201d Allen said.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t just speak during the student report section of the meeting; Allen often raised his hand to get noticed and weighed in on other issues before the board, like activities and the budget.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are issues that are very close to some of the student council\u2019s hearts and they aren\u2019t there to speak, so I always try my best to make sure that the words that aren\u2019t able to be spoken, are spoken. I try my best to fill in that gap,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Allen thanked TMHS music director Brian Van Kirk for mentoring him during his school board student representative position. Allen said conversations with Van Kirk helped him better understand the school\u2019s budget issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is a very honest person, very straightforward. He didn\u2019t beat around the bush. He\u2019s just a really good person to me, a really big influence and help,\u201d Allen said.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the budget process that Allen said he learned the most about during his time with the school board.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really did see the struggle with having to finalizing a budget, going through public input, having to listen to every single opinion and then also the opinion of the school board, which was at times diverse and at times same-minded,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The experience has left a lasting impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know for a fact that I want to come back to the school board, not as a student representative but as an actual member,\u201d Allen said.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s been trying to figure out how to make this happen. One way is interning with U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, this summer.<\/p>\n
Immediately after first learning about the opportunity in March, Allen worked on applying. He asked principal Daniel Larson to write him a recommendation overnight, filled out the rest of the paperwork and faxed his application the day it was due.<\/p>\n
\u201cA week or two later, Lisa Murkowski calls me on my personal cell and says, \u2018Kevin, I would like to extend an invite for you to come down here to D.C. during the hottest time of the year.\u2019 I thought, \u2018Wow, sure, I could do that,\u2019\u201d he recounted.<\/p>\n
Allen leaves Juneau for Washington, D.C. on June 18. It will be his first time there. The internship runs from June 20 to July 8.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I\u2019m mainly nervous about is the unexpected. I have absolutely no idea what I\u2019m getting into really. And, well, also the heat, because that\u2019s definitely extremely different than the climate here in Juneau,\u201d Allen said. With the nerves also comes excitement.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m definitely looking forward to seeing how things are at a national level. I\u2019m very interested to see what issues are discussed,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I get to see July 4th in the nation\u2019s capital.\u201d<\/p>\n
Allen, one of about 330 seniors graduating from Juneau School District on Sunday, doesn\u2019t have plans for the fall yet. Originally he wanted to take a gap year to figure out what he wanted to do. Now that he knows, he\u2019s leaning toward college and taking classes at the University of Alaska Southeast.<\/p>\n
But before going to D.C. and perhaps college and whatever else comes after, Allen will take part in high school graduation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am rather happy about graduating. I\u2019m excited to see what opportunities are ahead, as clich\u00e9 as that may sound. I am genuinely excited for what\u2019s ahead of me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Contact reporter Lisa Phu at 523-2246 or lisa.phu@juneauempire.com<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
GRADUATION INFO:<\/strong><\/p>\n 330 seniors from Juneau\u2019s three high schools will be graduating from Juneau School District on Sunday.<\/p>\n Yaakoosg\u00e9 Daakah\u00eddi Alternative High School will be graduating 38 seniors at 1 p.m. in Centennial Hall. That\u2019s eight more graduates than last year. Advisors will give speeches about each senior. Student Tiana Huber is also speaking at the ceremony.<\/p>\n Juneau-Douglas High School\u2019s graduation ceremony is at 4 p.m. in the JDHS gym. About 140 students will graduate, which is roughly the same number as last year. Featured speakers are retiring JDHS teacher Sara Hannan and student Grace Rodriguez.<\/p>\n Thunder Mountain High School\u2019s graduation is taking place at 7 p.m. in the TMHS auditorium. The school is graduating 150 students, up from last year\u2019s 122. Speaking at the ceremony are JSD Superintendent Mark Miller, TMHS Principal Daniel Larson, community member Christy NaMee Eriksen, student Lacey Davis, valedictorian Maxell Suzuki and staff speaker Graham Storey.<\/p>\n All high school seniors in the community, including home school and private school students, are invited to attend Sunday night\u2019s Safe Graduation Party run by local nonprofit Parents for Safe Graduation.<\/p>\n The party at Centennial Hall starts at 10 p.m. and lasts until 2:16 a.m. All seniors get in for free and can bring a guest for $10. Participants must bring a student or photo ID. The alcohol- and drug-free event involves food, activities, gift bags, prizes and a drawing for $2,016.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"