Alumni Spotlight: Kasiem Randall

A Soldier's Story: Mr. Kasiem Randall

by, Carlos Shamburger

When you are senior in high school, you are eager to continue your education at a four year college/ university. Some people get the opportunity to attend college and nothing gets in the way of that. Other students want nothing more than to go to a four year college and yet for whatever reason they can't get there. Or once they get there, life happens and they have to make a slight shift in their plans. The weak would give up and let this deterrence take them off track and they're never able to get off course. The University High School alum that I recently connected with, started his college career at a junior college and came out better for it.

Earlier in the week, I was given the opportunity to connect with University alumnus,  Kasiem Randall. Mr. Randall graduated from University in 1997 and attended Essex County College before he joining the Army. He is currently still a soldier but more a Career Counselor and he attends University of Maryland. Basically, what a Career Counselor means is “As a Career Counselor, I counsel/mentor Soldiers on their career. I give them guidance and help them to be successful. I help Soldiers progress through the ranks and I facilitate their reenlistment in the Army. “

I asked Mr. Randall to tell me if he thinks UHS adequately prepared him for college and/or a career, here is what he had to say,

“UHS most definitely prepared me for my current career and college there after. UHS helped to foster my love for Math, Science, and learning over all. I’ve learned that it’s the little things in life that we take for granted however, they have the most lasting impact. From writing 5/10/15 page papers, to being challenged mentally and overall as a man by Mr. Hankerson to be great and only accept greatness from myself. I’ve served three Combat Tours to Iraq for a total of 33 months... I couldn’t have done it without being prepared mentally. UHS, it’s faculty/teachers,and our wonderful city played a huge part in that.”

Mr. Randall had so many memories from his time here at University, it was hard for him pick just one. He chose the one memory that he feels will last forever, which is the family bond he has with his class. " I share and unbreakable bond my class of HOT 97 classmates. Our class was very unique, we had some real characters (me included). It was us against the world... we had cliques as any HS class does the only difference was no matter what we all had each other’s back regardless of cliques or disagreements.” It makes me feel good to know that he still has a connection with his classmates and  look out for each other. There are some people in my class that I hope to stay connected with forever.

I enjoyed being able to interview Mr. Randall.Throughout the interview, there was one thing that really stayed with me. It was when he said, “Don't take yourself so serious. Life if full of ups and downs and you will make mistakes, it’s about how you handle them and grow through them.”

We tend to get so upset when we make mistakes, we never really try to actually grown with the mistake. Making mistakes is apart if life, the real challenge is how do we learn and grow from it. You have to soildier through adversity and life's curve balls just like Mr. Kasiem Randall.