By Brent Johnson
Salisbury Post
When South Rowan’s commencement takes place on Thursday, graduate Brandon Moon, 19, will reflect on his academic years of struggle.
“It feels great to know it’s less than two weeks away,” Moon said recently.
Moon, son of Kevin and Teria Moon and raised in southern Rowan County, admits the classroom is not his area of expertise but he did what it took to graduate.
“It was just a real struggle for a while,” Moon says. “But you gotta keep pushing.”
He recalls his freshmen year went well, but then trials began. By his junior year, he wasn’t sure he was going to graduate.
“Math was my worst subject,” he says.
Although math was not his thing, he credits his algebra teacher, Elaine Ervin, for being one of the biggest motivational factors in getting him through school.
“In my class, he has been an inspiration,” Ervin says. Even though Moon had a tough time with her class, she says he was present every day and always did the required work.
“He would constantly tell the other students ‘You don’t want to be like me’ and ‘Don’t goof off like I did,’ ” she says.
“Now he knows how important it all is.”
Moon says the amount of patience that it took to guide him through certain areas in the course is impressive and was successful, hence his ability to graduate. Because algebra was all he needed to finish up at South, Moon was able to attend homeroom and Ervin’s class from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and call it a day. Apparently, he is one of the first students to pull off a schedule like that.
Ervin was able to push Moon in the academic environment, but the Moon family acted as a resourceful and wise voice that constantly reminded him to stay on top of his priorities, as well.
“There were times when I didn’t want to go back (to school),” says Moon, “but they encouraged me along the way.”
Moon’s brother, Ryan, 22, was able to get him a job at the Gem Theatre in Kannapolis. While attending school, Moon has been rolling projectors, selling concessions and handling the expected and unexpected routine of the movie theatre business.
Moon is considering higher education at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and thinks he’ll focus his studies on heating and air conditioning. His father and brother are electricians, giving Moon worthy footsteps to follow.
Weightlifting is one of Moon’s favorite hobbies. He enjoys history, spending time with friends, listening to music and playing Guitar Hero, a guitar-simulated video game. He will see the Dave Matthews Band in concert July 1 for the third time.
As he moves his tassel to the left, he will join in the merry celebration of graduation, sharing an experience with his classmates that might have seemed surreal just months ago.
“Just don’t give up, and you won’t ever know unless you try,” Moon says, giving advice to those struggling with goals that might seem overwhelmingly impossible to achieve.
“Keep on keepin’ on.”
Contact Brent Johnson at 704-797-4245 or news@ salisburypost.com.