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By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer
reporter@arkcity.net

Joseph Jett entered an advanced chemistry class a couple of years ago with fear and trembling.

"At first I thought I'd flunk out," said Jett, a senior who will graduate from Arkansas City High School in just a few days.

Jett has a hearing handicap and has worn hearing aids since he was a young child. Despite this, he is a high achiever in school and is among the top students in his class.

His honors include: Governor's Scholar Award, the Austin Mack and Amelia K. Gilstrap Scholarship ($20,000), the John Mark Walker Scholarship ($1,000), the Jodi LeAnn Sanderholm Prize for outstanding scholarship in chemistry and physics and the American Legion Certificate of School Award from the local American Legion post. In addition, he was selected as one of two Orchestra Students of the Year; the other honoree is Nick Velez.

Jett also is an accomplished musician and donates much of his time playing piano and violin at community events and special church functions.

And for several years now, he has played in a string quartet which he organized.

Jett reflected on his high school experience Tuesday at his home on North Seventh Street. Jett has been raised by his grandmother, Sharon Shelton

When he entered high school four years ago, he thought he wanted to be a musician. But his career goal changed, thanks to his experience taking advanced math and science classes.

"I was pretty scared when I entered Mr. Stinemetze's classroom," he recalled of his first day in chemistry class. "It was white and cold."

Several weeks into the semester, Jett had to do make-up lab work in the class. He told science teacher David stinemetze of his fears and Stinemetze said some words to help build up his confidence, Jett said.

"I don't remember exactly what he said, but he always says stuff to instill confidence," Jett said.

To his surprise, Jett did well in chemistry and Stinemetze became one of his favorite teachers, he said. As his high school years progressed, he discovered he had talents that had been hidden to him.

That discovery led him to change his career goal from being a musician to being a nurse anesthetist.

"I think this gives you a real purpose -- to go out and help somebody go through another day," he said.

Actually, he wants to do both, his grandmother added.

After his sophomore year, Jett took two other courses taught by Stinemetze -- Chemistry II and physics. "I felt I really had a talent I could use in a career in anesthesia, using math and science skills," he said.

High school also helped him overcome a certain shyness, Jett said.

"I think high school is where I learned a lot of lessons," he said. "You need to be humble, a team player."

Jett had always gotten along with his classmates, he said, but as a freshman he was somewhat reluctant to work with them in classroom projects.

"I have always strove to function pretty much as my peers do and be active in classes," he said.

Once he explains his handicap to fellow students, he gets along fine with them, Jett said.

But he had to push himself a little to be involved in group activities, Jett added.

"Up to high school he preferred to do his own project," his grandmother said. "In freshman year, though, teachers pushed students to work on projects in groups."

Jett said the experience helped him learn to trust others better and to negotiate duties in the tasks they would on together.

His shyness may have resulted from early school experiences, he said. He was on an audio trainer for a couple of years in early grade school, he said.

The trainer was an earmuff-type hearing device that was connected directly to an amplifier used by the teacher. Joseph could hear everything the teacher said, but background noise, including students chatter, was blocked out.

"After that, we were able to get a better set of hearing aids and he could sit in class like the rest of the kids," Shelton said.

But all of that happened long ago, and Jett now has graduation on his mind.

"I can't believe that in just a few more days, I'll throw my hat in the air," he said.

"And I'll be getting ready to throw him out of the house," Shelton said.

In recent weeks, Jett has received several college scholarships and community service awards.

Above: Joseph Jett holds two of his awards he has won for his school work.