Devontae Jackson

PONITZ CAREER TECHNOLOGY CENTER

Devontae Jackson’s eyes light up when he talks about severe weather. The 17-year-old rattles off meteorological terms – derechos, convection currents — with the fervor of a die-hard sports fan listing his team’s starting lineup.

“When you watch thunderstorms blossom and develop it’s really interesting ... or especially with hurricanes,” he said, sitting in his office where he works as station manager of the Ponitz Career Technology Center high school radio station.

“I like the idea of being a meteorologist because I’d help protect lives and property,” he said. “That is actually the goal of the National Weather Service,

to protect life and property, and that’s pretty much the goal of every meteorologist in the world.”

Jackson’s dream of being a forecaster got a boost this year when he was selected to go to New York for the prestigious Princeton University Summer Journalism Program. Not even a senior, he is already talking to college recruiters.

Jackson has faced hardships and setbacks, but he keeps his eyes on the sky and channels his energy into his blog: The Greater Dayton Weather Post.

“I wanted things I could use so when I applied for colleges they’d say, ‘Oh wow, he’s really interested and dedicated to weather.’”

When media arts instructor Joanne Casale Viskup learned of his blog, she offered him a job doing weather forecasting on the CTC radio station, WDPS-FM. This exposure cemented his desire to be a broadcast meteorologist, and bolstered his resume as he worked his way up to station manager and won several awards.

“Every time I see my great granny she cries just because she’s so happy with the work I’ve done,” he said. “That’s why I can’t wait to graduate next year, because she really wants to see me walk across the stage.”

And after that, for Jackson, the sky is the limit.