MANSFIELD, Ohio – Malik Mason has had his whole life planned out since he was in seventh grade.
The plan has always been to go to college, go to law school, work in a law firm and own his own business by the age of 32. Now a senior at Mansfield Senior High School, the first leg of the plan is within Mason’s grasp as he prepares to attend Norfolk State University in Virgina this fall, majoring in pre-law while minoring in psychology and business.
But the plan is also open to new opportunities, such as a summer internship with the Urban League of Greater Cleveland.
On the precipice of the rest of his life, Mason has had time now to reflect on how the plan has come to life.
“It all hits you at once and you think, ‘Wow, if it weren’t for this one thing and one person I would never be here,’” said Mason.
That one person is Jen Lepard, student council adviser at Mansfield Senior High who first met Mason when he was a seventh grader at Malabar Intermediate School. As a shy student running for the public relations seat on Malabar’s student council, Lepard never thought that one day Mason would rise to be class president at Mansfield Senior.
“Malik is the only one who started this journey with me when we started back in seventh grade, and stuck through it,” said Lepard. “His leadership has shown the other kids to stick with it.”
From seventh grade on, student council became a huge part of Mason’s academic career. Mason became the first middle school student ever elected to the executive committee of the Ohio Association of Student Councils, making decisions that rippled throughout student councils in the entire state.
The experience turned a timid seventh grader into a charismatic young man.
“Being that person out there in front of everybody talking things up, it made him open up more,” said Lepard.
“You learn it’s not about what you know, it’s who you know,” said Mason. “I can know everything in the world but if I don’t know the right people to connect with or the right situation to go through it’s not knowing anything at all. I’ve learned to speak to people, and to do things for other people without expecting anything back.”
Mason’s people skills served him well in earning an internship with the Urban League of Greater Cleveland. He said he met a few representatives from the Urban League while on a college tour with HBCU – Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
“Being the person that I am, I’m out there and outgoing, I connected with some of them and they mentioned a few job openings,” said Mason. “I’ll be working with kids at a tutoring center, reading, writing and math, and go camping with them every now and then. I like the fact that they’re open people, they accept everyone and they’re there for everyone, not just for a certain group of people.”
Inclusion is a value preached many times over by Lepard in student council. She said she has always made sure Mason and her other student council members know it’s not a popularity contest.
“One thing I’ve instilled in this council is that this council is open to anyone,” said Lepard. “It’s not about being nerds or jocks; we’re one family. We’ve got some of the smartest kids on our council, but we don’t segregate them. I take everyone; I don’t want anyone to not be in there.”
Mason noted as class president he has very high expectations for his student council members – something Lepard has for him as well.
“I told my mom, this kid might one day be the president of the United States because he has what it takes to be the leader in that top of a position,” said Lepard. “He’s learned from mistakes, he takes constructive criticism, and he does what he needs to do. I’ve been hard on him; I’ve set the bar very high for him. And every year he hits the bar.”
Now with a little perspective on his time at Mansfield Senior, Mason said he is extremely thankful and grateful of his time in student council, and for Lepard’s positive influence.
“If it weren’t for student council I don’t think I would’ve ever gone on the trip, I would have never even heard of the Urban League,” he said. “Student council has taught me to be outgoing, taught me how to be a leader, taught me how to talk to people of all ages. If it weren’t for student council I’d still be in my shell, I’d still be the quiet guy in the back of the classroom drawing pictures.
“It’s been a great lesson and a great run – it’s been awesome.”
“He’s learned from mistakes, he takes constructive criticism, and he does what he needs to do. I’ve been hard on him; I’ve set the bar very high for him. And every year he hits the bar,” said Jen Lepard.
