The first word Greenbrier High School counselor Kim Hebel said she thought of was “good” when she heard that senior Jesse Buchanan was named Student of the Year by the city’s chamber of commerce.
“That sounds generic, but he is a deep-down genuinely good person who would help with any situation put in front of him with enthusiasm,” Hebel said.
Buchanan, 18, will be among those honored at the Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce banquet March 4 at the Greenbrier Junior High School cafetorium.
Ranked No. 1 in his class, Buchanan is quick to give credit to his parents, Tami and Alan Buchanan, both of whom work for the school district. His mother is a counselor at Wooster Elementary School; his father teaches at the high school and is defensive coordinator for the football team, where the teenager was a starting linebacker.
“My parents have been a huge influence on me,” he said, emphasizing the word huge. “They’ve always wanted me to do the absolute best that I could. It hasn’t been always about making straight A’s but about doing all the work to put me in the best possible position. I did want to be No. 1 in my class; that’s been a goal for me.” He has a 4.3 GPA and a 33 on his ACT.
“He just kind of has done a little bit of everything,” Tami Buchanan said. “It’s been neat. He’s always been a really good test taker, so that part, he’s just done real well with [in] school.”
It’s not just his academics that make Buchanan stand out, though.
He’s a member of several school clubs and enjoys being in the book club equally with being a member of Mathletes.
“It’s an odd pairing,” he said with a laugh.
He’s also a member of Beta Club and Environmental and Spatial Technology, and he’s on the yearbook staff.
“Yearbook is one of the best parts of my day,” Buchanan said. “I just get to work with a lot of different people I normally don’t get to see, and I get to do creative things while using my talents I’ve learned in school. It’s pretty rewarding.”
Buchanan has participated in other organizations throughout high school, including Student Council, and has served in leadership roles.
He’s not afraid to get out of his comfort zone, either. In his sophomore year, he played the role of Charlie in the musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
“That was really fun; I loved doing that because the cast was great. Everybody got really close during the whole production,” he said. “It was fun for me because I was proving to myself that I could do something like that. I’ve always been sort of shy in front of other people. I always wanted to [do a play]. I sing; I’m not the best singer.”
“He loves to sing,” Tami Buchanan said.
He isn’t shy when it comes to talking about his faith. Buchanan said he has taken to the pulpit a time or two through a church youth group. He and his family were members of a Conway church at the time, but they now attend Pleasant Valley Church of Christ in Little Rock.
“I preached a sermon last year, and in seventh grade, which was the first time, and it was terrifying. I’d never spoken in front of a big group of people like that,” he said. “Last year, I spoke about how to focus on having a clean heart for God, and the first time I spoke, I spoke about not letting fear get in the way of letting you achieve your goals. I think that a lot of young people are really worried they’re going to be rejected or ignored by friends or peers if they try to be out of the ordinary and do something to upset people, like stand up for their beliefs. I don’t think people should be afraid to speak up for what they believe — respectfully, of course.”
Buchanan doesn’t just talk — he walks the walk.
He has also volunteered to serve meals at Bethlehem House, a homeless shelter in Conway.
“I’ve been there a few times to help serve meals. Last year, my mom would go up there almost every Monday night, and she would cook some type of dish [to share with residents]. I like talking to people, and I like working with different people — and I like food.”
His counselor is not surprised by any of it. “Jesse believes in helping others before himself. Along with all of this, his humor and outgoing personality make him someone everyone wants to be around. He always treats others with dignity and respect, no matter their social status,” she said.
He also helped clean up debris in Vilonia, where he has relatives, after the 2014 tornado and has been part of other volunteer efforts with his fellow players on the football team,
he said.
Buchanan said he won’t play football in college.
“I’ll probably stick more to my studies,” he said.
His plan is to attend Harding University in Searcy — just as his parents, older brother, Jake, and other relatives have.
“I, hopefully, will get a degree in engineering, and then the plan is to go to U of A [at Fayetteville] and get a master’s degree in architecture so I can be creative and use my math skills at the same time. It could change, but that’s the plan for now,” Buchanan said.
“I don’t know what my biggest accomplishment is. I kind of think getting chosen for this might be one of my biggest accomplishments because it shows people are actually recognizing me in the community,” Buchanan said.
Some youngsters might have rebelled against parental expectations, but Buchanan said he’s glad he didn’t.
“It’s worked out really good for me, so I’m thankful for that,” he said.
Also honored by the chamber will be Tim Tyler, Volunteer of the Year, and Freddie Mark Wilcox, Citizen of the Year. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and the event will include a silent auction. Tickets are $40 per person and may be purchased by contacting the chamber at (501) 679-4009.
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.