David Knezek, born on August 3rd, 1986, is only 27 years old, but he has accomplished more than his age would show. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a scout sniper platoon member in Iraq. He was honorably discharged from the Marines with the rank of sergeant! As he left the Marines, he decided to go back to school. He became a substitute teacher at Wayne County schools.
After substitute teaching for awhile, David decided to go back to college to get another degree. At U of M Dearborn, he became the student body president. “It was a great experience, working with all of my peers trying to create an connected and safe campus. As the time progressed, I felt like we did accomplish our goal!” At U of M Dearborn he earned his bachelor’ degree in political science. Recently, David became the youngest person to be elected into Michigan’s House of Representatives. When asked, how does this accomplishment feel? David said, “I think it’s a very special opportunity for me to represent the youth of our community. being surrounded by the elder members really gives me the chance to suggest some new fresh ideas and be the voice of our youth!”
David has always been apart of his community, whether it’s helping out as a substitute teacher, or inspiring the youth of our community. For instance, he visited Unis Middle School and talked to the NJHS members during the ceremony. While at the ceremony, David felt very honored to be able to give some advice to us. He talked about many things, including how we picture ourselves. “Everyone can have a lot to say about their favorite sports player or actor, but when asked the question, who are you, many people freeze up. Kids need to acknowledge themselves more than they do with celebrities.” This got many kids, including myself, thinking. Who am I?
As the representative, David’s duties changed from being the student body president. “This big step up changes many of my tasks. I serve a lot more people and I am dealing with a larger scale of duties. Many of these tasks that were added to my plate were taxes, housing and many other things.” As you can see, David has really stepped up for his community and is now helping a larger scale of people and making a bigger difference!
All in all, David has been a big part of his community. He has always been about serving his country and his fellow peers. Being apart of the Marines and being the student body president really helped David mature and become the man he is today. As long as David is still alive and well, his community can count on him to help out!
By: Huda Alsheeblawy and Houd Mashrah
8th Graders at Unis Middle School