Jamie Wilson is a student at COD with a lot on his plate. He manages it with hard work and determination, and defeats all the odds against him. Read the rest of his story at codcourier.org

Courier: What’s your story?

Wilson: I am 24 years old. I graduated from Willowbrook in 2010. After graduation I started working here and there, but I noticed that there was something missing in my life after I graduated. I wasn’t as busy as when I would play sports in high school, so to consume some of my freetime I did competitive hip hop dance. I did that for three and a half years from the day I graduated to 2013. Then in 2013 I took the option to go into the military. May 5th of 2013 I enlisted in the Air Force. From then to the present I have been on active duty.

I actually just took Palace Chase which is the option to go from active duty to [National] Guard or the Reserves. I chose the Guard. During my active duty career, I’ve been to a lot of places. I’ve been to California, Florida, Texas, Mississippi and I just came back from Pennsylvania. I also took an overseas tour to South Korea, that was pretty cool. I was there for 30 days. I wouldn’t trade anything in the world for the experiences I’ve been through.

I did Palace Chase to come back and help my family. Some personal things came up while I was away that needed my attention so I came home. I hope one day I can go back because I would love to do it [active duty] again.

I started school this semester. It’s been really hard to go back to school but I’ve really been pushed by my family and really close friends of mine. Their drive got me to complete the first steps of going back to school. I’m really grateful for them.

C: Would you feel comfortable explaining your personal problems at home?

W: Some things happened with my family. My step-dad recently lost his kidneys. It was a lot to juggle while I was away from my family and not there for support. I took the option of coming home to be closer to them. It’s a decision that has it’s pros and cons. I don’t get to see the world as much as I did when I was on active duty but I can be here with my family whenever they need me; just be that lifeline for them.

C: You seem to have a lot on your plate. What exactly do you do?

W: As of right now I work at the Dupage County Jail in Wheaton. I am a booking officer. Inmates that get arrested from different parts of Dupage County all come to the jail if they can’t post bond. When they come in I actually inprocess them with the intake sheet and medical questions, as well as demographic questions which are really just about who they are. Then the Correctional Officers will come get them. I just keep doing that throughout the night. I work overnight, so that is from 11 pm to 7 am.

Straight from my overnight job I come to the school. I go to school from Monday to Thursday. I give myself the weekend to catch up on sleep, do things for my family and get my homework done.

I also just started volunteering at the Humanitarian Project in Carol Stream. It’s a community service that helps families that are less fortunate, and with parents who don’t make a large enough income to support their family. Last week I helped build birthday boxes for little kids. It’s just a 3 foot box filled with books, toys, candy, food, video games; just about anything that will help empower the kids. The smiles on their faces are just priceless.

I know what it feels like to be less fortunate, to not get what you want and what you need. It hits my heart in a personal way. I wouldn’t want the kids to have a lifestyle that I has because it wasn’t a great one. If that means that I might help a family by making a kid a birthday box, giving them food, it makes me feel better.

It really fills my heart to see I’m making a difference with my volunteer work. Even with some of the inmates that come into the jail, they feel like they’re a lost cause. Just hearing that they’re not makes them feel better. People make mistakes but I don’t judge them. I’m in no place to judge them.

C: Is there any piece of advice you want to leave with our readers?

W: I just want to leave this with one thing. Even though you have so much to do in your life, be it work, school, some people volunteer, there are always going to be obstacles. There will always be days when you don’t think you can go [to school], where you feel tired or you just can’t push yourself. Just don’t give up. Always strive to be better. There are days when I wanna give up but I can’t give up on myself and I can’t give up on the people that are there for me and support me. I feel like when I give up I give up on everyone around me. You have to be too strong and too prideful to let people down. Always push yourself.