Student of the Month — Brennan Jensen

West Ashley High School sophomore Brennan Jensen was surprised when he found out he was selected as the Student of the Month. When asked what he does to set himself apart from other students, Jensen said, “I represent the school, wear my [student] ID, and wear nice clothes. He does a lot more than that.
“He is a hard worker and role model for other students. Brennan is a consummate leader within our school and program,” says WAHS teacher Luke Hamilton. “As a sophomore he has taken several freshman students under his wing, leading them via his positive behavior, attitude, and work ethic.”
Apparently, Jensen was not always considered to be such a role model. When he was in middle school he was considered a“problem student.” According to Hamilton, it was volunteer work that helped Jensen make such a turnaround in high school. Jensen enjoys working with his hands, so he started volunteering to fix things for his teachers. “Brennan has shown an amazing ability to work with his hands,” says Hamilton. “This year alone he has worked with another student to build three life-size Jenga sets, repair a teacher’s broken car, and change its oil, saving her over $1,000!”
When asked who he admires most, Jensen was quick to respond with his teacher’s name: Mr. Hamilton. “He lets me do stuff that no other teachers will, like build stuff,” says Jensen. Hamilton used to work in the landscaping business so when he learned how much Jensen liked volunteering and working with his hands, Hamilton encouraged him to do some landscaping around the school.
Jensen actually recruited other students (the freshman students Hamilton referenced) to be a part of his landscaping crew, and together they did quite a bit of work on the West Ashley High’s campus. They planted Mexican petunias, elephant ears, and banana plants around the front entrance of the high school, trimmed trees in the faculty parking lot, and weeded flowerbeds located in various spots all over campus. “If I were looking for someone to hire in my landscaping crew, Jensen would be my first pick,” says Hamilton.
Jensen’s work extends to his time after school too. He has been working on two bikes, a motorcycle, and he has been helping his grandfather by painting his bathroom. He would like to be involved in more extracurricular activities at West Ashley High as well. Last year, he participated in NJROTC and won an award for personal appearance during the Annual Military Inspection (AMI). During his time at West Ashley High, Jensen would like to join the Robotics Club and get involved with the Outdoor Pursuits class.
One of Jensen’s goals outside of school, now that he is old enough, is to get a part-time job. “I want to get a job at the Lowes in West Ashley,” says Jensen. If they want an employee who has a great work ethic and a positive attitude, is good with his hands, has landscaping experience, and is an excellent leader, Jensen is the perfect candidate.