The next time you hear someone bemoaning the “state of teens today” — a time-worn refrain — take the opportunity to point out someone like Kaelon Gilford. Children at the Clay County Head Start Center call him Mr. G. Kaelon hopes they may one day call him governor — or ambassador, or teacher, or historian. Maybe all four. Kaelon Gilford is not afraid to dream.

This West Point High School student may not be what most people think of as a typical teenager. Sure, he’s in the band and has a job after school, assisting at Bryan Public Library. But the just-turned-17-old requests interviews with mayors and has formed Gilford Inc., Gilford Tech and Gilford Services, umbrellas for “whatever you need: I tutor a lot. I cut grass. I have carpentry skills. I cook. I clean. I walk dogs, have computer skills … ”

The neckties started around sixth grade, when he served as Junior Beta president.

“From that moment on, my whole expectation for myself changed,” he explains. “I said to myself that I’m now a business person; I have to be that person. So, ever since then, it’s always been a tie and a suit whenever I can get my hands on it.”

He can sit in the kitchen listening to Mozart and cooking for hours, wants to go to Spain, and white is his favorite color.

“When people ask me why it’s my favorite color, I say because I have a big imagination and can make it whatever I want it to be,” he grins.

Project G

Gilford likes to make things happen.

His current goal is to be an environmental ambassador, reaching kids with the message “Embrace the Green.” He’s titled his initiative Project G and is convinced that, if you catch them early enough, children will empower a greener, cleaner, healthier reality for Mississippi.

The message of recycle, conserve, sustain, eat smarter and exercise is one he hopes to broadcast. The personable young man is already talking to West Point Mayor Robbie Robinson and Columbus Mayor Robert Smith about his hope to spread the word to children in schools, churches, day care centers and anywhere else he can.

“If we can start when they’re 3 or 4 years old, by the time they’re my age, it’ll be second nature,” says Gilford. “They’ll say, ‘Hey, we’ve been doing that since we were little.’ I tell them start wherever you are, in your community, at your house. One little change can make a big difference.”

Competition entry

Gilford developed Project G as his entry in the upcoming FCCLA (Families, Career and Community Leaders of America) competition in March. He became familiar with the national career and leadership student organization through the Early Childhood Education (ECE) class he takes at the West Point Career and Technology Center.

“Students have topics they can choose from and come up with a project,” said Gilford’s ECE teacher, Tanya Camp. “He’s really taken it and run with it. He’s one of those that if you give him something, he’ll do everything he can.”

Should Project G win first place at state, Gilford would be eligible to go to Washington, D.C., this summer to national competition.

His drive is no surprise to West Point High School educator Bruce Mize. Mize taught the teen in Honors World History last year.

“Kaelon’s always been very outgoing, very engaged, always had a question, always had his work completed, always wanted to learn,” Mize said. “He goes above and beyond the requirements.”

To Gilford, the equation is simple: “If you do not learn, how will you ever have success? I love to learn.”

Children to Chaplin

While he finalizes research for and promotes Project G, Gilford continues his other activities. That includes going to the Clay County Head Start Center each Thursday with other ECE students to work with children.

“He comes up with a lesson plan, as a teacher normally would, takes his time to plan what he’ll do, to come up with concepts our kids can relate to,” said the center’s director, Albertina Bell. “He’s doing really well, and the kids are benefiting from it and learning more. He makes it fun.”

Gilford’s mother, Teresa Ivy, is pretty accustomed to all this motivation.

“Even when Kaelon was 3 years old, you could sit down with him and have an adult conversation,” she laughs. “He has so many things he wants to do. … I think he wants to be successful so I won’t have to work any more,” the single mom continues, “like he should be the man of the house.” She will occasionally tell him he doesn’t have to assume so much responsibility. His answer, she says, is usually “I have it, it’s OK.”

Gilford hears the sometimes-dismissive stereotypes about teenagers from time to time, but hopes people take a deeper look.

“Each teen has a voice and wants to be heard, but some don’t know how to amplify their voice and need someone willing to speak up for what they believe in,” he says.

The 17-year-old is quick to cite a list of people who have inspired him: Charlie Chaplin, Dr. Maya Angelou and Albert Einstein are on it. (Chaplin, if one wonders, taught him “how to smile, to look toward a better day”).

He hopes to serve as inspiration for someone, too, whether it’s encouraging a child to recycle an old ketchup bottle into a penny jar or put plastics in the right bin now, or in future in the arenas of education, business or politics.

“Maybe they will say that if he can do it, I know I can do it. Or, maybe ‘Look at him — he’s got it, he’s going, he’s started, so we can all do that.’ … If I can inspire someone to dream a great dream, climb the highest mountain, swim the deepest depths, well, that would be a dream of my own.”

Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.