Shows Leadership On and Off the Stage
The Daily Herald
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So when this Orem High School junior was recently elected as the studentbody president for next year, it didn't occur to him that he was the first Black student president of the school. In fact, Elijah is so busy being involved in school, theater, music, movies, and church events, he doesn't have time to think about much of anything.
Not only is he attending school each day, but he is also playing "The Father" in Orem High's production of Children of Eden, and stars as Danny Zuko in the SCERA Center for the Arts production of the high school version of Grease.
Elijah has played just about every kind of role and ethnicity you can think of, from Puerto Rican Bernardo in West Side Story to the Cat in the Hat, to LDS prophet Joseph Smith. Elijah is a member of the LDS Church.
He admits he's tired, but he's not slowing down.
When he's not doing schoolwork or theater productions, Elijah is a member of the SCERA Youth Theater touring group, Acting Up! The group recently returned from the Musical Theatre Competitions of America in southern California. They brought home 14 trophies, three of them belonging to Elijah. He is also a teaching assistant for two youth theater classes.
"His showmanship skills are strong on stage and [he] is personable off stage," said Laurel Barham, SCERA Youth Theater director. "In Los Angeles, he impressed the other directors, his competitors, and adjudicators with the combination of his drive, commitment, and genuine friendliness. He sincerely wants to do his best, and he also wants to see others succeed."
In the past nine months, Elijah has also been cast in two movies, Scout Camp and Minor Details, and was one of the leads for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints youth production, A Brand New Year. His face is also one of three teenagers featured on the LDS Church's new teen Web site.
"If there is anything I've learned from my recent experiences, it's how important it is to stay on good, straight, and narrow paths when you are young," Elijah said. "I'm blessed to have met the people I've met along the way."
He is the middle of seven children, but his father says he doesn't suffer from middle child syndrome.
"He's always been a 'sober' child," Isaac Thomas said. "From an early age he has known what he wants and where he is going. We are very proud he is so good in so many things, but he's humble and he doesn't have a big head, and he loves to serve others."
That is just what Elijah says he wants to do as studentbody president: he wants to serve others.
Elijah and his running mate and vice-president, Ethan Evans (also a member of Acting Up!), have set goals for next year to get students more involved and to have more Student Council interaction with the students so they know they are cared about. He wants an "awesome experience" for every student at Orem High.