West Windsor resident is winner of New Jersey Association for Gifted Children award for leadership
By: Nick Norlen
WEST WINDSOR Ten-year-old Brian Meersma likes to play basketball and watch Sportscenter that is, when he’s not interviewing politicians, lobbying in Washington and volunteering to save open space.
The Princeton Friends School fifth-grader and West Windsor resident was selected as the 2007 winner of the New Jersey Association for Gifted Children’s Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Award.
To be considered for the annual award, candidates must submit an essay describing accomplishments in academics, leadership, athletics or the arts.
Brian was honored for leadership.
In his essay, he described how he interviewed New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Doug Forrester in front of his classmates two years ago, and how he tries to get his friends involved in following politics and volunteering in the community.
"I wrote about my interest in politics and how I think it’s important that kids get interested at a young age," he said. "I guess they liked it."
Brian said he’s interested in politics because "the decisions that politicians make can affect your life so much.
"If people don’t get interested now, then they won’t know when they’re older and can vote they won’t know who to chose and make the right decisions," he said.
Brian’s mother, Kathy Stratton, said he has been asking questions about governors and elections since he was 3 or 4 years old.
She said she was struck by a specific question he asked during the 2004 presidential election: "Who do you think Hillary Clinton would want to win?"
Ms. Stratton recalled that she explained that the New York senator most likely wanted John Kerry a candidate from her own party to win the election.
However, Ms. Stratton said Brian didn’t necessarily agree: "If Kerry wins in 2008, he’s going to be the incumbent," he told her, noting that Senator Clinton might not get a chance to run.
"He had just turned eight," she said. "It was just very surprising that he would even think about things in that way."
Not so surprising, now, for a kid who said he has discussed the Scooter Libby trial with his friends.
But it’s not all politics for Brian.
He said he spends his free time riding his bike and following basketball he has Ohio State going all the way in the NCAA tournament.
"He’s the kind of kid that’s interested in lots and lots of things," Ms. Stratton said. "He’s very much a 10-year-old boy."
But he’s a 10-year-old boy who has helped to create recreational trails and enlist new members for the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance.
So what’s next?
Brian said he’s going to meet with congressman and senators in Washington in a few weeks.
"I’m going with the New Jersey Association for Gifted Children to lobby for more funding for gifted education," he said.
Asked if he thinks of himself as a leader, Brian said he tries to be.
"I try to get other people involved in things and lead by example and do things that I think are right for the community and myself," he said.

