Darren Gillick, 13, an 8th grade Homeschool student, is California state president of the Children of the American Revolution (CAR), a patriotic youth organization. A special focus of his group is to provide support for Mission 22, which provides treatment to veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries, PTSD and/or suicidal ideations. He has raised more than $3,000 for Mission 22 through sales of a pin he designed as well as by soliciting donations.
He was sworn in as CAR’s state president at George Washington’s Mount Vernon home. He chose to run for state president because in this role he is allowed to choose a state project; he chose Mission 22.
Darren descends from William Hall, who fought alongside George Washington in seven battles during the Revolutionary War. Hall was a sniper and participated in the Battle of Trenton, which impacted the war in favor of the patriots. Darren also descends from 30 other patriots of the American Revolution.
Darren has been with Springs since the 3rd grade, with a brief break in a traditional school. His mother, Tanya Gillick, is a Springs counselor. She said, “The program works for him because he is able to focus on what interests him most. Special Interests and Life Skills personalize his learning experience even more. His fundraising, public speaking, speech writing, and attendance to performances at the opera all count toward his education.”
Darren likes the flexibility of being a Homeschool student. Tanya explained, “He can sleep in extra if he needs to, break the work down in any number of ways and spend more time with his family. He’s excelled and learned more through Homeschool than in a more traditional setting.”
His favorite subject is science, and he hopes to be a chemical engineer when he finishes school.
