BHS valedictorian is Auburn bound

Editor’s Note: Franklin’s Future is a regular feature spotlighting a high school senior in Franklin County and what they have planned for life after graduation.

Belgreen High School’s Jordan Oldag is an ambitious 18-year-old who has a seemingly bright future ahead of him.
Oldag, who has always gone to Belgreen, said he liked attending the smaller school because it just seemed like a better atmosphere than schools that were much larger and had more students.
“We have about 20 people in our graduating class and most of them are people I’ve grown up with,” he said. “You just know everyone and it makes coming to school more comfortable and fun.”
He said it also gives students a chance to get involved, something he’s taken advantage of during his four years of high school.
Oldag has served as vice president of 4-H, has been a member of Future Business Leaders of America where he received second place in the state competition for cyber security, has been a member of both the soils and wildlife teams for Envirothon and attended the state Envirothon competition in Columbiana, has been a member of Students Against Destructive Decisions, Beautification and Annual Staff, and he was a member of the Franklin County Junior Leadership program where he received many community service hours.
“I really liked being part of Junior Leadership because we were able to help people in the community at the different banquets we served at, by cleaning up after the Watermelon Festival and through other projects,” he said.
“I also liked that we were able to meet people from other schools that we probably wouldn’t have known outside of the program.”
In addition to those activities, Oldag was also recently named the valedictorian for the class of 2013.
“When I found out that being the valedictorian was within the realm of possibility for me, it became a goal of mine, so it was great to hear that I had achieved that goal,” he said.
Oldag also set a goal for himself to receive a high enough score on his ACT that he could attend the college of his choosing and have it be more affordable, and, like his goal for being the valedictorian, Oldag made that a reality also by scoring a 31 on his ACT and receiving a full tuition scholarship to Auburn University.
“Auburn was my first choice for a college, and I knew that if I scored high enough on my ACT that I would be able to go there so I just set my mind to making that happen,” he said.
“I think it’s a good idea to push yourself and I would encourage younger students to set goals and work to achieve them because you can achieve a lot of things if you set your mind to doing it.”
Oldag said he wanted to attend Auburn because he had been to the campus several times and loved the atmosphere.
“I just feel like it’s going to be a good fit for me,” he said.
“Even though I’ve been used to going to a small school my whole life, I’m looking forward to having a little more independence and to the social aspects of meeting new people and having more things to do.
“I also know some people who already go to Auburn, so I think I’ll enjoy it there.”
While he’s at Auburn, Oldag said he thinks he will major in some type of math or applied mathematics since that has proven to be his best subject, although he said history was an option as well.
“I haven’t completely made up my mind at this point what I want to major in specifically but I have a few options and career ideas.”
Oldag said with the mathematics degree, he thought being a college professor of math would be a good career.
“I’ve always liked math because there is a definite answer,” he said. “I could see myself teaching it, but probably only at a college level.”
He said if he decided to go the history route, he’d like to try a career as a museum curator.
“I think that would be an interesting job to have,” he said. “History has always interested me, so I think that’s something I could enjoy doing every day.”
Where Oldag will live once he graduates from college depends on the type of job he’ll have.
“I can see myself living in Franklin County because I’ve enjoyed growing up here and I enjoy the sense of community and the friendliness of the area,” he said. “People here are nice and they’re hard workers.”
“But I also wouldn’t mind staying in Auburn or moving to a place like Huntsville if that’s where I was able to find a job.”
In his spare time, Oldag said he is very active in his church and he also likes alternating between reading, playing video games, and doing artwork.
Oldag is the son of Lonnie and Amanda Oldag and he has one older brother, Austin.