Graduate captained ‘It’s Academic’ team, organized anime convention

Determination and spirit are two things that bring many students to the culmination of their high school careers: graduation. But these traits are especially true of Kyle Jamolin, an 18-year-old who took on a major leadership role throughout his time in school before graduating from DeMatha Catholic High School on Friday.

Jamolin, of Glenn Dale, joined the anime club, for students with an interest in Japanese cartoons, during his freshman year because it was an interest of his. By his sophomore year, he was interested in participating in more activities at the Hyattsville school, including a jazz group, mock trial and quiz bowl.

“I think he did virtually everything you could do at DeMatha,” said Dr. Daniel McMahon, DeMatha’s principal.

Jamolin’s desire to become a lawyer helped him decide to join mock trial in the 2006-2007 school year, when he stood as a witness, and his team made it to the semi-finals in the 7th Judicial Circuit Mock Trial Competition.

“He has determination,” said his mother, Bea Jamolin. “He wanted to be a lawyer since he was a little boy, and that hasn’t changed.”

Jamolin is working toward this goal next year at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he is planning on majoring in government and politics and pre-law.

Jamolin’s goal has been encouraged through his participation on “It’s Academic,” an academic quiz show with high school students.

“It helped me think on my feet,” Jamolin said. “It’s all about timing and coordination and teamwork.”

Over the years, Jamolin has taken on more leadership roles. Not only did he become the captain of the “It’s Academic” team but he also became the president of the anime club and attended a Global Young Leaders Conference in the summer of 2007.

“I think his biggest contribution has been his day-to-day leadership,” McMahon said. “He expanded the reach of what DeMatha does.” In his role as president of the anime club, Jamolin organized DeMaKon, an anime convention hosted by DeMatha that was held for the first time in January.

“When you think about DeMatha, you think about sports teams or music programs competing with each other,” Jamolin said. But DeMaKon was about bringing people together to experience as a group something they all like individually.

Jamolin considers the DeMaKon convention his greatest accomplishment. Other local area clubs and former members of the DeMatha club were invited to participate, and a number of panels were set up to discuss various aspects of anime.

In addition to anime, Jamolin loves other comic books, and said he has been inspired by his favorite superhero, Batman.

“He’s not like other superheroes,” Jamolin said. “He’s the most well known who doesn’t have superpowers. He trained himself to be perfect in any way.”

This diligence and self-motivation has manifested itself in Jamolin’s actions, his mother said.

“Once his mind is set, he makes sure he does things well,” said Bea Jamolin.

This is seen, and heard, in Jamolin’s experience with music. When he was just starting to play the piano at around age 7, you didn’t have to tell him to practice, he would just do it on his own, she said

In school, Jamolin played for the jazz ensemble as a keyboardist in a jazz combo, and in a jazz quintet.

“He has self-direction,” she said. “He tries his best to get what he wants, in school and anything that he dreams of.”

McMahon, the principal, found Jamolin to be one of his most memorable students. “I think that [Jamolin] will not only excel as he goes into the world,” he said. “I have a notion he’s going to travel. He has boundless energy and a real appetite for learning other cultures. He’ll get out and do something on an international scope. And whatever he does, it’ll involve drawing people together for common goals.”

 

Originally published at The Gazette.