How do students at Jack Yates High School describe Edmund Christian?
A natural born leader.
"I know some of his friends might look at him and see him doing good, and might want to follow his footsteps and pursue their dream," Jalen McGhee, a Yates senior, said.
"He runs track. He's also a leader of the track team," Chelse Arceneaux, senior captain of the Yates' varsity cheerleading squad, said. "There's a lot of people that look up to Edmund in here."
Edmund, a three-year letter winner and captain of the Lions' track team, is our Class Act of The Week.
"I know I have to lead by example because if I'm trying to tell somebody else what to do, I know they won't listen to me if I'm not doing the exact same thing," said Christian.
"He provides a lot of leadership for the younger kids," Marshall Lawson, Yates' varsity boys track coach, said. "Being one of the more experienced kids, he understands the importance of dedication and commitment."
"I'd rather be more of a hidden treasure, and let other people speak about my achievements than go around bragging," said Christian.
Edmund's achievements speak for themselves.
"Edmund is on the honor roll every six weeks," Marla Sheppard, who's the principal at Yates, said. "We do an honor roll luncheon, and every six weeks Edmund is there."
From taking advanced placement courses, to working on the yearbook, Edmund also writes articles for The Houston Chronicle through its intern reporting program.
"I have a reporter that I report to. Her name is Cynthia Smith," said Christian. "She has high expectations of us. We write our papers [newspaper articles], and she always expects for us to do better next time."
"This program is one of two in the country," Smith, the HISD Chronicle classroom teacher and decorated print journalist, said. "There's only one other one that's in Albany, New York, and was started by Jeff Cullen [who's] the editor here."
Edmund says it's important more than ever for his generation to prepare themselves appropriately for the future.
"A college degree is very important," he said. "You hear very few success stories of people who became rich and successful that didn't go to college."
"The thing that I'm most proud of is Edmund's No. 1 choice for college right now is my Alma Mater: Aggieland [Texas A&M University]," said Sheppard with a smile.
"All his hard work during high school, it pays off," said Arceneaux. "It's paid off, and it's gotten him to where he is now."
"It's actually an honor to become known as an academic prospect of Yates," said Christian.
You could say that this Yates Lion is already a roaring success.
