"It takes a village to raise a child." That is a well-known saying, and a true one when it comes to describing Thomas Johnson. However, in his case, it has taken an "arsenal" to raise him.
Johnson grew up in White Hall and spent a lot of year participating in various activities at Pine Bluff Arsenal's Child, Youth and School Services Center. Johnson received the 2015 Bridges-Social Memorial Award for Youth March 10 at the 31st Annual White Hall Chamber of Commercial Community Awards Banquet.
"I didn't even know I was getting this award. They told me my dad was receiving an award for becoming an alderman. It totally surprised me. I turned red as a tomato and didn't know what to say. I felt very grateful," said Johnson, who is a senior at White Hall High School. He is planning to attend college this fall at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and plans to major in either kinesiology or biology.
"I'm leaning more towards kinesiology because I would like to go to the University of Central Arkansas and get a degree in physical therapy," he said.
The son of Beaver and Debbie Johnson (Debbie is the PBA CYSS Coordinator), he says that he owes a lot of what he has become today to the people he has met here at the Arsenal and the activities he has been involved in.
"I have been involved with a lot of leadership activities through 4-H and Boys and Girls Club activities here at CYSS on the Arsenal. I also volunteered for little things like picking up trash and collecting food for the local food banks," he said. "There are so many ways to get involved, by volunteering and getting service hours for those activities."
Johnson said one of the most fun things he got to participate in was two youth leadership forums in 2011 and 2012. He was chosen by the U.S. Army Materiel Command to represent the Arsenal and CYSS.
"The first time was at Rock Spring, Kan., and the second was at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. I helped teach teenagers at these bases in classes on leadership, service learning projects, six pillars of character, GPS tracking, marketing and slide show presentations," said Johnson.
At school, he is involved in track, soccer, and choir. He is also a member of the Science Club, Spanish Club, FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), BETA Club, and National Honor Society. "I got into choir at my church in sixth grade and I really love it," said Johnson, who is an all-A student.
On three separate occasions, he received three "America's Promise" The Alliance for Youth awards for more than 350 hours of volunteer service to his community through 4-H, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and CYSS. The awards were signed by the acting PBA commander and (Ret.) Gen. Colin L. Powell, chairman of America's Promise.
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