TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, INC. 

NOAH GRIFFIN (17) relocated from Chicago, Illinois, to Pasadena, California, where he attended John Muir High School and graduated with a 4.0 weighted GPA ( 3.9 non-weighted GPA).  While enrolled in Advanced Placement History, English Language, and English Literature, Noah earned a place on the Honor Roll during every semester since his freshman year in the Business Academy.  Along with his academic achievements, Noah excelled in John Muir’s football and track program, the Yearbook Committee, and Mentoring and Partnership for Youth Development (MPYD). The MPYD Director reported that Noah earned their star student award multiple times for maintaining a 4.1 GPA (or higher), and wrote: “He constantly shows how intelligent he is and why his peers can look to him for guidance.”  “I have witnessed Noah’s ability to balance academics and extracurricular activities.”  “I admire the maturity and leadership qualities he possesses for his age.” In addition to being commended for his “outstanding character,” Noah’s English teacher reports being impressed by “his maturity, integrity, intellectual curiosity, and kind nature.”

 

Noah was an intern with the City of Pasadena Finance Department, and the City of Hope Cancer Research Hospital.  He served as a Pasadena Tournament of Roses Ambassador, volunteered at the Angel Food Bank, as well as the Pactal Youth Network and the Youth Group at Morning Star Baptist Church. Noah also does community service with the Ignite Youth Rights and Responsibilities Program through which he met with the Police Chief of Pasadena.  Noah is attending Lehigh University where he is on the football team, while majoring in Finance, with a minor in Philosophy. His career objective is Investment Banking.

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REGARDING THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, Noah writes, “Even with their undeniable success in the air, that is not where their true world impact lies. Their impact is embedded within sacrifice. They risked their lives for a country that didn't love them back. But they did the work anyway. They completed missions to come back to segregated barracks with worse conditions than German prisoners of war. Unthinkable to me today. They understood that what they were doing was bigger than them. It was for a community larger than themselves and a movement that would continue far after they left this earth. A spirit of fairness and justice that would burn long after they passed the torch.”  He further remarked, “Their perseverance, dignity, and valor is what shined through… The Tuskegee Airmen are an inspiration to be a vessel of change within any challenge that presents itself to me today.”

 

Noah’s philosophy is, “Sometimes you fail, but that doesn't mean the experience was in vain. Commitment is a vehicle to growth; it isn't always going to go in the direction you intended.”  He says he believes that whether the outcome is how he foresaw or not, he knows it is all part of his story and he looks forward to telling it.  He further states, “In addition to your goals, being there for those you love is a mark of an honorable person and that is what Noah strives to be.” Noah’s extracurricular activities include the following:

• Mentoring and Partnership for Youth Development (MPYD) – youth mentorship with community and business leaders to develop high character and confidence, professional skills, and career guidance.

• Ignite Youth Rights and Responsibilities Program – a social justice program for youth 12-18 years old for skill-building and to learn effective communication with law enforcement, relationship building, conflict resolution and mindfulness.

• City of Pasadena Finance Intern – to develop public finance skills, communication, business writing, data collection and organization.

• City of Hope Hospital Youth Cancer Institute Intern - designed to teach high school students about various cancer laboratory techniques, experiments and laboratory research.

• Varsity Football Team Captain (11th Grade ) - 1 year of JV and 3 years of varsity football with a level of success that has allowed him to be a recruited athlete for football.

• Track & Field Team Member - track athlete in the 400 meters and Triple Jump.