Joseph Queen '19 Recruiting Profile

Greetings my name is Joseph Queen, and this is my story, about a boy with drive and determination that would never give up and who knew at a very young age that he was going to become an engineer and/or a pilot while making a name for himself in the world.  

As I grew up, I saw my parent’s college degrees hanging on walls at the house and they often spoke of how they worked to put themselves through college and the importance of being educated.  My mother always said, “Please choose a marketable skill; they always need doctors, lawyers, and engineers.”

As I entered public elementary school, from a less traditional private pre-school and Kindergarten learning style, I found it difficult to conform to the conventional teaching methods.  My prior learning was more hands on, utilizing my creativity, learning through building, analyzing, and learning some math techniques with an Abacus.  Elementary school was a struggle because it required me to learn in a one-size fit all environment and especially as a young male, that was not easy.  I was disorganized, and I did not like overall institution that a school represented.  I was never a disruptive student and always well liked by my teachers, but I felt that I was just going through the motions and not understanding the value in what I was learning and was mentally drained everyday after school because I was trying to conform to an unfamiliar place of learning. 

By the time, I reached middle school, I started running track and developed a passion for it and something changed in me where I knew I had to make some adjustments to my thinking if I was going to go to college and become that engineer and/or Pilot, and my new aspiration, running in the Olympics.  At this point, this became a test of my resilience.  I had to juggle something that I loved with something I needed.  I wasn’t sure how to make that happen considering I wasn’t a fan of school and the house rules were, A’s and B’s, 1 C or ‘no sports.’  My organizational skills were horrible, and I had papers stuffed in folders and bags, making it difficult to find work to turn in on time or find my notes to study from.  My teachers always told me I was smart, with an innovative mind (thinking outside the box) but my lack of organization and study skills were causing my grades to be on the low end.  I told my mom I needed help and that is when we met with the counselor to determine what could help get me on track.  With the help of teachers, my mom on me every day, and my determinations, I started improving towards being a successful student. 

By the time I reached high school, I was accepted into a college prep program for 4 years, joined JROTC, assigned to some honors classes (History, Math, Science, and Economics) and maintained above a 3.0 GPA, all while on Varsity Track and Cross-Country team all 4 years.  In addition, I hold the school records for 800, 1500, 1600, 1 mile, 3000, and 3200 meters.   

In conclusion, studies show that many young males struggle in the traditional one-size fit all learning environment when they have a creative and innovate mind.  By getting organized, utilizing strategies, receiving help from teachers, and discovering my sport, I was able to tap into that drive and determination that will never allow me to give up; therefore, I am so much more than a test score.