JOHN BARTLETT

           Attending the University of Alabama has long been a dream of John Bartlett, a graduating senior at Robertsdale High. It's a dream that recently came true as Bartlett was recently accepted at Bama.

           "I want to go into some form of engineering, whether it's mechanical or civil, and I would be able to do that at Bama," Bartlett said. "Of course, I've been a Tide fan for as long as I can remember."

           Prior to making a decision to go with engineering Bartlett said he had considered pharmacy.

           "Several of my friends are in Auburn's School of Pharmacy," he said. "I know the problems they're having with organic chemistry, which is something I would rather not encounter. Besides, I'm stronger in math than chemistry."

           When he isn't hunting deer or dove, or driving one of the largest, monster pickup trucks in the RHS student parking lot, he can be found at Bryant-Denny Stadium during football season watching the Crimson Tide play.

           Engineering is a career field that is heavy into math, which is something Bartlett excels at.

           "Right now I'm taking Algebra III - Statistics," he said. "Math is something I truly enjoy."

           Bartlett is currently maintaining a 3.9 grade point average. He is also a member of Mu Alpha Theta, the school's math society, in addition to the National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society.

           "I've been taking welding over at the South Baldwin Center for Technology," he said. "Welding is something that I wanted to know more about so I decided to take the course. Who knows, it might come in handy on an engineering job."

           Bartlett said he realized the importance of a summer internship while in college.

           "By hooking on with an engineering firm, or a corporation that has an engineering department, I feel I would be in a better position to land a job with that company after graduation," he said.

           Once he graduates from college Bartlett said he intended to go for some form of master's degree.

           "If I can get one in engineering that would be great, but I may get one in a related field," he said. "At this point in my life I haven't decided if I'm going into mechanical or civil engineering."

            Besides his academic work, Bartlett has played on the soccer team in addition to having served as a representative to the RHS Student Government Association.

           "This year I may try out for baseball once basketball season is over with," he said.

           Outside of school Bartlett has roped calves and barrel raced in a number of rodeos.

           "After college I may go back to doing some barrel racing as a hobby," he said. "I enjoy participating in rodeos."

           The son of Terry and Angela Bartlett of Elberta, John said he was able to attend RHS on a variance.

           "We live on a farm near Elberta," he said. "My father is a vice president with Volunteers of America Southeast, plus we raise goats. I have a Border collie that herds them. The strange part about it is that the dog herds them instinctively. The dog hass never been trained either."

           Bartlett's mother is a professional singer.

           Bartlett said Mrs. Janie Lloyd and Coach Steve Shartzer had meant a lot to him during his years at RHS.

           "Mrs. Lloyd has helped me by providing information about classes I would need to take in the future," he said. "As for Coach Shartzer, he's been like a second father to me. I've always felt I could ask him a question and get a straight answer."

           Bartlett said that if he were to be admitted to Alabama he planned on making every minute count.

           "I'm committed to going the distance," he said, "and if that means getting a MS, then that's what I'll do."