ON AND OFF the field, Jeremy Johnson is a champion.
Johnson played corner back for the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School football team last fall when the Bulldogs won NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II.
The good times continued to roll for Johnson during the spring when his play at attack helped Rumson to the South Jersey Group I and Group I state boys lacrosse championships.
Johnson also is a gold medal winner off the field as he is visiting Jamaica for the second straight summer as a member of Fields of Growth International, based in Avon-by-the-Sea. Johnson will make the trip Aug. 2-8.
“I had been following the organization for a while,” he said. “I saw where they let high school students go on a trip to Uganda. I looked for something to do between football and lacrosse workouts so I decided to go with Fields of Growth International.”
Johnson kept plenty busy last summer.
He helped put on a lacrosse camp. He performed community service. He toured parts of the nation and learned its culture. He was part of a friendship game against the Jamaican National Team. There were visits to a nursing home and an orphanage.
“We brought a lot of canned goods from our country, helped clean up the area and took care of the older people,” Johnson said. “We helped the kids fill water jugs and helped them wash clothes. We got to know some of the kids. We learned what they go through.
“A lot of them had HIV and AIDS. They did not know any of their parents. Or, they only knew one of their parents. Some were not able to live with their parents.”
Johnson is a resident of Rumson.
“Visiting Jamaica made me very thankful for what I have,” the rising senior said. “It made me want to help even more. A lot of the houses don’t have air conditioning. A lot of the kids are able to live happy lives without much in the way of material possessions at all.
“Not every place had running water. We went through droughts.”
Johnson frequently worked with boys and girls ages 5-19.
“The most rewarding aspect is being able to give back to the lacrosse community and spread the game of lacrosse,” he said. “I want to impart the joy of playing and being part of a team.”
Johnson hopes to prepare the men’s team for the Under 19 National Games in British Columbia in Canada next year.
“The Jamaicans were very fast at picking up the game,” he said. “They practice almost every day. A lot of people from our country donated equipment and we brought it down there. For the most part, the kids have their own equipment, but they need more of it. We let the kids take the equipment home and keep it.” Johnson said lacrosse helps Jamaicans bond.
“Some kids would argue and hold grudges,” said Johnson, “but it seemed lacrosse helped the kids get rid of those grudges.”
Johnson said this year’s trip will cost him $2,100.
“I am looking forward to heading back there,” he said. “Being able to go on that trip is the highlight of my summer. It will be even better as I made a lot of bonds with the kids and their families. It is going to be great to see how far the kids have progressed since then.
“I wanted to go down there last Christmas, but I spent time with my family so I was unable to attend. I want to see what else I can do to help out.”
Johnson has a 3.95 grade point average. He is in the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. Among his courses are advanced placement physics, advanced placement psychology and honors pre-calculus.
Fields of Growth International was founded in 2009 by Kevin Dugan, then the coach of the University of Scranton men’s team.
By Chris Christopher
