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“I never actually
lost a game, 8/16/2004 Jump to the present… Most High School Varsity football teams field between 40-70 players on their roster. All High Schools field only one Senior Class President. In the rarest of parlays, Novi’s BJ Chaklos does both. As the Senior Class President for 2004-2005, Chaklos is also a returning letterman on the Wildcat’s State Semi-Final football team. This is an extremely uncommon event, as both endeavors demand a commitment that is time consuming as well as physically and mentally challenging. Additionally, those roles, individually and collectively require enlightened thought to maximize the positive effect on fellow teammates. In this day and age we certainly strive to emphasize academics and athletics, and much progress has been made over the years. The truth is, we have a long way to go. But, BJ Chaklos takes it to a different level. Most great leaders believe that we ultimately define ourselves and what we value most by how we spend our time. As an esteemed leader in Student Government, and a respected team member of an elite football program, Chaklos’ carefully selected choices would indicate his time invested is prima facie that he is serious about his future. Both obligations demand specific skill sets that require the ability to interact within the framework of a team for the betterment of all. This is a critical life skill that can only be learned in the heat of battle, and with an investment of time. The gridiron provides a wonderful tapestry for this type of training. So does holding political office. As an attendee of the National Youth Leadership Conference in Washington D.C. last summer, he displayed exemplary characteristics. As such, he was invited to apply for, and in fact granted a summons to be present at the Presidential Inauguration this January. Over 1,000 students nationwide participated in the Conference last summer, but only a small percentage were chosen to return to our nation’s capital to personally witness this historic event. When our next President is sworn into office, BJ Chaklos will be there. But in the meantime, Chaklos has other things on his mind, like helping the Novi Wildcats win football games this season. Between football and student government… “If I had to pick a favorite,” Chaklos said, “I wouldn’t, I love them both.” And it sounds like he has all positions capably covered. Years ago, Nike ran a very successful ad campaign that simply stated, “Life is short, play hard.” BJ Chaklos, plays hard, on the field and off, and he’s loving every minute of it. You just know, the Gipper would be proud.
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