Our Youth
Eugene J. Coleman, III, son of Eugene Coleman & Martha 'Deneen' Barksdale Coleman, will be graduating May 21, 2016 from the United States Military Academy at West Point. EJ is Class of 2016 President and the First Captain. You can see videos and several news clips and interviews on YouTube....
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RELEASE NO. 23-15
CLASS PRESIDENT NAMED 2016 FIRST CAPTAIN – Aug. 10, 2015
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Cadet Eugene Coleman of Alexandria, Virginia, has been selected First Captain of the U.S. Military Academy’s Corps of Cadets for the 2015-2016 academic year, achieving the highest position in the cadet chain of command. He will assume his duties today.
As First Captain, Coleman, an economics and management major, is responsible for the overall performance of the approximately 4,400 member Corps of Cadets. He currently holds the position of Class President. According to official records, this is the third time a cadet has held these two positions simultaneously. John J. Pershing (USMA 1886) and Pete Dawkins (USMA 1959) were the only two others to have shared in dual roles. Additional, he is the fourth African-American to be named to this post. He follows in the footsteps of other notable First Captains such as Douglas MacArthur, William Westmoreland and Kristin Baker.
The First Captain, a senior who is also called the Brigade Commander, is similar to a student body president. His duties include implementing a class agenda and acting as a liaison between the Corps and the administration. In addition, Coleman is at the top of a pyramid of cadet commanders who make up the chain-of-command for the Corps of Cadets at West Point.
Coleman graduated from Mount Vernon High School, Alexandra, Virginia, in 2012 where is also held the position of class president.
About West Point
The U. S. Military Academy at West Point is a four-year, co-educational, federal, liberal arts college located 50 miles north of New York City. It was founded in 1802 as America's first college of engineering and continues today as one of our nation’s premier leader-development institutions, consistently ranked among top colleges in the country. Its mission remains constant—to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the nation as an officer in the U. S. Army. For more information, go to www.westpoint.edu.
Shaquille T. Barksdale, son of Mr. Anthony E and Deborah Barksdale, (Tony and Debbie) graduated from High School with an Advanced Regents Distinction Diploma in June 2010. He is currently attending Quinnipiac University (a private university in Hamden, CT) and will be a junior this coming Fall 2012. He’s enrolled in a 5 Year Masters in Education program while concurrently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Mathematics
· In May 2012 he was a finalist in the College of Arts & Science Diversity Press competition for his freshman year essay in African-American Literature course titled; The Influence of Whiteness on African-American Literature
· He has served as an Orientation Leader his two years at QU (Spring 2011-Spring 2012)
· He’s currently the choreographer for the Step to Perfection Step Team (Fall 2011-present)
· He was accepted into the Accredited Teacher’s Program [Master of Art Teaching] in his sophomore year (Spring 2012)
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Cameron Coleman, son of Eugene & Martha 'Deneen' Coleman has been in the Gifted and Talented program since grade 3. He is now in 8th grade and has been on the honor roll each quarter since he has been in school. In February 2013, he testified at the Virginina General Assembly on behalf of poor children whose families cannot afford home computers or internet to access online textbooks in Fairfax County. The ruling to institute online textbooks was amended. He loves to play basketball and football, with 7 years under his belt in llittle league football, playing the positions of quarterback and running back. After high school, Cameron plans to attend medical school and become a cardiologist. If he becomes a professional football player, that would be fine too.
Eugene J. Coleman, III, son of Eugene & Martha 'Deneen' Barksdale Coleman, currently attends the United States Military Academy at West Point. Before graduating from High School in June 2012, he was elected Student Representative to the Fairfax County School Board, representing over 175,000 students. As a junior in high school, he was selected to attend Boys State at Liberty University where he was elected Governor of Boys State Virginia. He was also selected as a delegate to attend Boys Nation at Marymount University where he had the opportunity to go to The White House and meet President Obama. EJ is a pilot who started flying at age 13. His ultimate goal is to get into politics. *(Keep your voters registration current. We will have a future president in the family.)
Deji Philio Owolabi, Sugarland, TX, grandson of Dolores Owolabi (Roy Field's daughter), was selected to intern at Huntington Bank in Columbus, OH. He will be a third year student at Florida A&M. He is on a 5 year academic scholarship masters program, majoring in finance.
Jemel L. Robinson, son of Traci Robinson, returned from Iraq. He joined the army in 2008. He is now married and have a beautiful baby.
Hakiem Jihad Simmons, son of James & Brenda (Barksdale) Simmons, Jr. earned his bachelor of science degree in accounting, spring of 2011 from St. John's University. He will continue for his Master's degree in late August 2011. Hakiem was president of the NAACP where he increased membership from 15 to over 100, one of the largest in NY State; he served as VP and reestablished St. John University's chapter after its previous failure and deactivation. Student awards received are Student Pioneer Award for NAACP; Gold Award, Tobin College for leadership as a senior. He also won Leadership/Involvement Award as Big Brother within the Big Brother/Big Sister organization.
We are very proud of our young Barksdales and happy to see them succeed. If you have some accomplishments that you would like published about your young person, please submit to:
barksdalekids@yahoo.com
Submit the following information: