Student Spotlight: Justin Fields

Justin Fields was born outside of the United States in Kingston, Jamaica. He moved to Chicago when he was 12 months old and he has been here ever since. Justin likes Chicago because most of his family lives here and the summers are great. He does love to travel, though. He has been to Mississippi and Virginia and he even thinks that Virginia might be better than Chicago. If Justin could go anywhere right now, he would go back to Jamaica or visit California.

As a child, Justin was shy, but he got over it thanks to people who introduced him to their friends. He was the beneficiary of networking just like we hope you all are here at Cabrini Connections.

Justin is a 7th grader at Oscar Mayer Magnet School. His favorite class is physical education (PE) because he loves sports. His favorite sport is soccer in which he plays goalie. The subjects he struggles with most are social studies and language arts, which is partly why he signed up for Cabrini Connections – to get help with his reading and writing.

Justin graduated from Cabrini Green Tutoring Program last year. His mother suggested he join Cabrini Connections and after one quarter he already loves it. Justin’s “awesome” mentor is Brian Kamajian who is also in his first year. “[Brian] always has a smile on his face,” says Justin, “and he always says ‘Let’s bust it open’ when it comes to homework.” Justin also appreciates his mentor as a motivator. “Even though I get tired, [Brian] tells me to keep trying. He’s a really good guy.”

With a solid mentor by his side, Justin can set his sights on big goals. In two years, it will be time for Justin to move up to high school. His top three options are Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, The Chicago Academy for the Arts (ChiArts), and Walter Payton College Prep.

In college, Justin would like to study film, specifically screenwriting, and music. He has been a member of Cabrini Connections’ Video & Filmmakers Club since September 2010. Currently he is co-developing a fund raising video for the club.

As for music, Justin has been listening to it his whole life. He plays bass guitar and he loves to perform even though he can’t sing. He credits his aspirations to teachers who encouraged him to become a musician. If either option doesn’t work out, he’s also interested in becoming a painter, an actor, or a professional boxer.

Good luck as you continue to grow up, Justin! We’re excited to see what you accomplish!