Youth in Focus

By Richard A. Ross

Number one in her class and on top of her game

	TRR photo by Richard A. Ross Eldred junior Jessica Cherry is tops in her class, a three sport athlete with a unique interest in government and international affairs. When she is not studying or playing soccer, basketball or softball, this teen watches C-Span, contemplates solutions to complex world issues or volunteers at a local hospital. (Click for larger image)

ELDRED, NY — Eldred junior Jessica Cherry brims with enthusiasm when she talks international affairs.

She also plays three sports a year and keeps up on the minutiae of baseball history. Currently ranked number one in her class, Cherry maintains a lively fascination with the workings of government and national and international issues that affect local people.

A teenager who watches C-Span, Cherry wrangles with complex issues, including the endangered environment and the future of health care.

“I think a lot of issues have to be dealt with now. I’m very serious about voting,” she said.

Last year, Cherry took global studies and American history. This year, she is taking economics and government. Her academic standing and interest in government rendered her a logical choice to represent Eldred at the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership seminar (HOBY) last May at the College of St. Rose in Albany.

“HOBY was one of the best experiences of my life. I met so many enthusiastic leaders with diverse opinions. I learned how to better interact with others while building trust and fostering relationships,” said Cherry, who was joined by sophomores from New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Guidance counselor Bernie Feinstein, who finds the student’s outlook refreshing, selected Cherry to attend HOBY.

“I love school. Learning is so important to my future,” Cherry said. She enjoys chemistry, English, writing and Spanish.

“I’m very interested in learning about other cultures.” Not surprisingly, she is a member of the National Honor Society.

Thinking ahead to college, Cherry is anxious to see what opportunities present themselves. The Washington-Maryland-Virginia area enchants her, but so does Boston.

	(Click for larger image)

A true scholar athlete, Cherry has been playing soccer, basketball and softball for Eldred since seventh grade. On the soccer field, she is a center stopper. Along with friends and teammates Brenda Ferry, Lauren Timan and Jenny Haas, Cherry is part of a fearsome, physical defensive unit.

“I love the exercise, the teamwork and the motivation to push myself for 80 minutes,” she said. Cherry’s mother, Teresa, is a true soccer mom who once coached her and has never missed any of her games. Her father, Craig, has strongly encouraged her athletic endeavors. Both make it clear that academics come first.

“My parents are very supportive. We have a great relationship,” Cherry said.

When soccer season ends, basketball begins. One of the shorter post players around, Cherry looks forward to the fierce competition on the hardwood.

“The energy from our crowd is great,” said Cherry, who recently eschewed summer league basketball to play softball with the Tri-State Angels. “Softball drives me.”

She plays catcher for Eldred and second or third base for the Angels, a team made up of girls from Matamoras, Delaware Valley (PA) and Port Jervis.

Whereas soccer and basketball are all about the rush of the game, Cherry finds softball to be more contemplative. “I take my role as catcher very seriously. You have to anticipate what runners will do, be on the same page with pitcher and direct the flow of the game,” she said. Ever the baseball aficionado, Cherry idolizes Yankee Jorge Posada along with legends Johnny Bench and Bill Dickey.

Cherry volunteers her free time in the physical therapy department at Bon Secours hospital where her mother works as a medical transcriptionist. She has also become a training procedure volunteer, learning to lend a hand in the processing of blood drives, and she plans on taking an upcoming CPR course.

This June, many of her teammates will graduate. “It will be so strange,” Cherry said.

For now, it’s all about making the most of her time in the classroom and in sports and keeping up with the latest legislation in the House and Senate.

When it comes to negotiating life’s challenges, this week’s youth in focus can stop opposition cold, rise above the rim of adversity and call the game on her own.