Oscar Wilde once said that “to realize one’s nature perfectly – that is what each of us is here for.” At age 17, Michael Aaron Baskin is far from knowing where he is going, but he strives every day to open as many doors as he can.
Raised in Brighton under the watchful and active wings of his parents, Marc and Elayne, and his older sister Emily, Michael cultivated the love of learning and reading that his family planted. Capping his elementary education with the Mayor’s Award for Academic Excellence, Michael made the tough decision to leave the young and exciting environment of the Quincy Upper School for the rigorous traditions of the venerable Latin School. In a display of adaptability, Michael went on to excel academically at the Latin School as well and was inducted to the National Honor Society in the winter of his junior year. As he looks to apply to a liberal arts college to further his education, he is now weighing the value of his creative and progressive educational genesis against the value of prestige that he has benefitted from at Latin.
Exposed at an early age to the harsh winds of injustice, Michael is inspired by his sister and those around him to take a stand for what he believes in. As a vibrant member of the activist reform Temple Israel, he attempts to give back to the Jewish community that nurtured him by serving as the President of the temple’s youth group, RYFTI. He took an exploratory foray into the bureaucratic world as the Citywide Community Service Coordinator for the Mayor’s Youth Council. A trip to Washington DC with the Youth Council allowed Michael to meet an inspiring aide of Representative Capuano. It was there that he decided to delve deeper into the world of public service and resulted in his application to become a Ward Fellow. The experience of his summer has cemented his determination to face the world as a public servant and he plans to continue to test the possibilities of government.
No matter where he goes, Michael has pledged to always carry with him the morals and beliefs of his free-spirited early influences. A member of the Five Year Club at Camp Kabeyun, Michael has an undying love of the outdoors and the beauty of reflection in nature. His athletic skills as an advanced whitewater kayaker carried him through a short stint in football that launched him into two years of varsity wrestling . He now absolutely loves to represent his school on the field as the mascot, Wolfy. The love of dance and fun as a mascot along with the communication skills learned at Latin allow Michael to spend his weekends in a dream job as the youngest MC at Siagel Productions.
Such an eclectic combination of activities have opened many doors for Michael and he believes that the more doors he can open the closer he is to realizing more perfectly his own nature and future.
His sponsor this summer is Inspector General Gregory Sullivan.