James Johnson plans to study automotive mechanics at college
James Johnson, 17, of Otter Lake has been a student of the Town of Webb School since kindergarten.
Following his high school graduation in June he plans to attend Alfred State College to study Auto and Diesel Mechanics.
“I’ve always been interested in cars and in my Junior year I started taking auto tech classes at BOCES in Glenfield, and now I’m in Auto Tech 2,” he said. “It furthered my interest in automotive, especially in the bigger trucks and tractor trailers and the heavy duty diesels.”
James may want to drive one of the big tractor trailers one day, he said, and he will be able to earn his Commercial Driver’s License through the college.
“We can take a class for it as a bonus and do all the training there for driving tractor trailers,” he said.
Following his morning classes at BOCES he returns to the Town of Webb School where he takes classes in Government, Econo-mics, English 12 and Gym.
“I have no time in between for sports, but I’ve been a volunteer junior firefighter for the Woodgate Fire Department since I was 16.”
He’s taking a first responder firemen’s course, he said. “It’s a step below basic EMT.”
In spite of his schedule he has been a member of Key Club at school since last year. “I think it’s great,” he said.
His other interests include “Off Roading,” he said.
“Basically, you get in your truck, you drive through the woods, go up steep hills and through mud pits and whatever gets in your way,” he explained, adding that he owns his own truck.
James is employed year-round by Byrne Dairy in Old Forge. In the summer he also works for McCraith Beverages, stocking beverages at several area businesses, in addition to a lawn mowing and maintenance business.
Attending the Town of Webb School since kindergarten has been great, he said. “Because of the size of the school, you get one-on-one with the teacher and you’re not afraid to go up to the front of the class because you know everybody so well. It’s a good feeling.”
For the past three years his class has won the very competitive Columbus Day Float contest, a good memory he will take with him when he graduates, he said.
“It’s going to be different out there in the world,” he admitted. But he added that he intends to return.
“I’d like to settle here eventually and open up my own auto mechanics shop,” he said.
James is the son of Kathleen Sullivan of Otter Lake and he has one brother, William (Will) Sullivan, who is a freshman at the Town of Webb School.
