Matthew Rakestraw runs during a cross country meet at Westover High in Albany Oct . 1 , 2022 .
Rakestraw went on to say he and his long-distance mentor ( whose full title is The Rt Hon . the Lord Kinnock ) have developed a friendship and a bond that is unusual , as each is the reverse age of the other .
“ I mean , he ’ s 81 , I ’ m 18 -- complete flip . We email each other all the time . I actually call him my Welsh Obi Wan ,” Rakestraw said . He plans to write a book about his remarkable friendship with Kinnock , who was also vice president of the European Commission from 1999 to 2004 .
“ He ’ s provided such a such an example . I mean , he never became prime minister . He was the leader of the Labour Party all through Margaret Thatcher ’ s time as prime minister and he unfortunately lost two elections , but was able to rebuild the Labour Party ,” Rakestraw explained . “ The great thing about [ Kinnock ] is that he was able to go through the two defeats and still come out with a bright future of limitless possibilities . He rebuilt the Labour Party in a way that then enabled [ former prime minister ] Tony Blair to run in 1997 … He walked so Tony Blair could run , which is an incredible thing to think about , and he doesn ’ t get enough credit .”
In advising rising underclassmen , Rakestraw said prioritization is a key factor for accomplishing self-imposed educational goals . He went on to explain how important it is to reciprocate the care and support one receives , especially from family and friends . He also emphasized the importance of community service and sports , among several other significant points .
“ There was actually a person on Twitter who told me that [ British politician Neil Kinnock ] responds to emails . I basically just cold emailed him one day , and he surprisingly responded . I introduced myself and my interest in British politics , and I talked to him a bit about how I see the world . He responded and we started a conversation , and we ’ ve been talking ever since .”
“ Prioritize yourself -- always remember that you are your number one advocate . Never forget to reach out to people , whether they be friends or classmates . There are people around you that matter just as much as you do . Stay as active as possible in the community doing volunteer work , and don ’ t be afraid to meet people -- you never know where that can end up ,” he said . “ Standardized testing may seem intense and overwhelming and at some point , take up all your time . It ’ s really not that big of a deal . It ’ s important to have a good score , but if you have to sacrifice relationships and time with family to get a good score , it ’ s not worth it . Take advantage of sports , and as many extracurricular activities as you can because you need an outlet .”
Rakestraw acknowledged the myriad number of intricate puzzle pieces that have come together to shape his life as a well-rounded student and individual .
“ It ’ s much less about being a student and more about being a person . [ There are ] just so many people around me who are committed to serving the community as a whole … in a way , that has been life-changing and life-shaping ,” he said . “ I have a pretty big family and a few close friends who I feel I can truly confide in . I think having people [ around you ] who represent the values you want to see in the world – I think that can really help anybody .”
JULY 2023 MoultrieScene 23