Julez Hampton Jordan is a shining example of talent, discipline and promise within Yazoo City, representing his community on a national scale this summer. As the upcoming senior at Yazoo City High School heads to Washington D.C. to represent the state at Boys Nation, his story is one of hope and inspiration.
“It feels empowering to have such an honor coming from Yazoo City,” Jordan said. “It shows that kids like me can do anything they put their minds to.”
Jordan recently attended Mississippi Boys State, one of the finest leadership and citizenship programs with the country. Every year, the finest young men Mississippi has to offer attend the program. Jordan was among 400 young men to attend the program that offers engagement with government, public service and leadership development. Through Boys State, these young men have the opportunity to meet, work, and form lifelong friendships with other young leaders from outside their own communities.
“Boys State was an experience that would be hard to forget,” Jordan said. “A lot of the boys there were Mississippi's smartest. It was pretty exhausting, to say the least, but very rewarding in the end.”
While there, Jordan attended various sessions and program, including leadership workshops. He also learned how to pass and write bills, improve his public speaking and experienced hands-on approaches to governance. He was also able to participate in mock elections and debates.
“The experience is truly eye-opening because you see how the government truly works with your peers,” he said. “I attended a mock legislature session to get some bills passed for the city I was representing, and our bills didn’t get passed officially until two hours after the meeting started. During that meeting, you could cut the tension with a knife because everyone wanted their bills passed, but some were not able to. It was a great opportunity to learn and grow along with my peers during this experience.”
And Jordan certainly made a name for himself. He was elected Federalist Party Governor by his peers. He was also awarded Boys Stater of the Year, the highest individual honor of the program, which recognizes character, leadership and impact.
But it was the Boys Nation honor that will place Jordan among the country’s top young leaders to represent Yazoo City. He was selected as one of two delegates to attend Boys Nation in Washington D.C.
“When I heard my name called. I was in shock because I thought it was over for me,” Jordan said. “I didn’t want to run for Boys Nation after losing the governor position in a debate. But one of the friends I made there spoke with me after losing, and he said ‘God has a plan for everyone.’ I thought I should just give up, but everyone around me kept telling me to push forward and run for Boys Nation.”
Jordan, along with Sam Misra, were selected as the two delegates to represent the state in Washington D.C. on July 18.
And although he is very excited for his recent honor, Jordan reflects on two people who inspired him to take those initial steps. His mother, Arnelia Hampton, and Ms. Meko Hill, an educator at Yazoo City High School, were those two influencers.
“My mother has taught me to always believe in my values and raised me to be the young man I am today,” Jordan said. “As long as I put in effort, she will always come through for me.”
And it was Hill was a major figure in Jordan’s decision to attend Boys State.
“She has been nothing but a blessing to me and an inspirational figure in my life,” Jordan said. “I wouldn’t have gone on to Boys State and accomplished what I did without her guidance. When I first found out I won several of these awards, she was the first person I told my mom to call so I could tell her how much she impacted me. It’s not every day you get a true teacher like her who wants her students to stand out and be successful.”
After graduating from high school next year, Jordan intends to pursue a Biomedical Engineering degree from Howard University. He then plans to attend Johns Hopkins University Medical School, where he hopes to become a heart surgeon.
“The advice I would give to my younger peers would be to take every opportunity given to improve yourself,” Jordan said. “You never know what may happen or what position you may end up in if you don’t put yourself out there. I, myself wasn’t sure about Boys State, but now look where I'm headed to. Life will have its ups and downs. Learn to bounce back from setbacks and view challenges as opportunities to grow stronger and wiser.”
