ROCKINGHAM – Dreams of success and feelings of hope filled the minds of hundreds of high school students from across the state Friday as the North Carolina State Beta Club convention got underway in Greensboro.
While many of these students set out to submit their best projects or perform their greatest talents, Richmond Senior High School’s junior Kyle Goodwin set out to earn something greater – the opportunity to serve as vice president for the state level of North Carolina’s Beta Club.
And that he did. Goodwin has been installed as the new vice president following this year’s Beta convention.
First becoming involved in Beta Club during his eighth-grade year at Ellerbe Middle School, the now 17-year-old junior has forged a noticeable and noteworthy path through high school via his involvement in the organization.
Admittedly, Goodwin stated that he was not highly involved in the Beta Club until his sophomore year when he began completing more service projects and entering a submission into the convention’s wood working contest. Although he did not place with his entry, his increased involvement within the organization sparked a fire of motivation within him that has yet to be extinguished.
Most recently serving as the secretary of the RSHS Beta Club, Goodwin realized months ago that running for that state level office of vice president was an achievement he wanted to acquire.
“I wanted this position because I wanted to have a bigger influence on the people in my community and to be a role model for my underclassmen to get them more involved,” explained Goodwin. “I saw an opportunity to make a huge difference”
But the road to achieving such a success was no easy task, as nothing worth striving for ever is.
“To earn this position,” Goodwin detailed, “I had to write and memorize a two-minute speech, create a one-minute skit, and complete a question-and-answer session on stage.”
After that, it is up to all Beta members in attendance who each vote for the candidate they feel would best complete the position.
Fortunately for Goodwin, he had an entire team, or “Beta family” as he affectionately refers to them as, there to support him through every step.
“Everyone at my school and Beta chapter are the ones who deserve the most credit,” Goodwin described. “Mrs. Reese made the majority of my props for the skit and everyone was more than supportive in helping me practice my speech.”
Goodwin also had the support of his campaign manager and best friend, Mary Davis, who he claims helped him through everything over the past couple of weeks.
“I couldn’t have done it without her,” kindly concluded Goodwin.
Finally, on Saturday, February 3, after weeks of hard work and hours of anticipation, it was officially announced that Goodwin had been elected to the role of vice president of North Carolina’s Beta Club.
“I was sitting in the auditorium with my Beta club while they were announcing it,” Goodwin replayed. “All we could hear was, ‘your new Vice President is, Ky…’ and after we heard those first few letters, the whole club was jumping up and down and cheering as I made my was to the stage to be sworn in.
“Mrs. O’Neal and Mrs. Hudson told me later,” he added lightheartedly, “that they were so happy they were on the ground crying. I was ecstatic to say the least, but still in shock. I don’t think it really hit me until Sunday morning.”
While the reality of his victory took a short time to kick in, Goodwin’s “Beta family” isn’t wasting any time in preparing him for the next round of competition.
“The next big step is representing North Carolina and running for vice president on a national level in the national conference in Savannah, Ga., June 17 through the 20,” he explained.
“My club has already begun preparing and thinking of ways to improve the skit and ways to make my campaign stick out,” he continued.
Goodwin added that although he would have liked to have participated in additional events in this year’s Beta Con, the process that it takes to run for a state office truly turns into a full-time job while at convention.
This remarkable level of success is assuredly just the beginning for Goodwin. Upon his graduation from high school in 2019, Goodwin plans to embark upon his college career at West Point or the Naval Academy and one day become a politician and a congressman.
“I hope to prove my leadership qualities, and to give a more much-needed voice in our community and our state,” Goodwin said.
Until then, he will continue to serve out his duties as North Carolina’s Beta Club vice president, and share in his accomplishments with his family, his school, and God, to whom he credits much of his success.
