Looks can be deceiving, and no one knows this better than freshman Jayson Walton.
He came from Birney Middle School and is a living, breathing example of what America represents: a mixture of different ethnicities.
Walton proudly says he is a combination of African American, plus Vietnamese, Italian, German, Jewish and Indian blood. He was born in America and speaks English as his native language, but also understands Vietnamese, which his mother speaks.
“People judge me a lot because of the way I look,” says Walton. “Everyone assumes that I’m Mexican, and I think it’s a type of racial profiling, but for the most part, everyone here is very understanding and accepting.”
He is in involved in multiple school activities: Robotics, Tech Crew, Orchestra, and the Wrestling team.
He says he hopes to join the tennis team and Southfield Student Congress next year.
He says his favorite class is Orchestra where he plays violin and viola.
In his spare time, Walton enjoys riding his BMX bike and his mini bike, and zipping around on his go-cart.
The freshman says he is unsure as to which college he wants to attend but knows he wants to be a video game programmer and a U.S. Marine.