THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 23, 1994 TAG: 9406210191
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HEIDI GLICK, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: 940623 LENGTH: Medium
At Lake Taylor High School, that mentor is guidance counselor David Mitnick and graduating senior Marc P. Clemente is the young cub.
{REST} ``That's the kind of relationship we've had,'' Mitnick said, talking about the movie. In the two years that Mitnick has been a counselor at Lake Taylor, he has counseled his favorite student on everything from dealing with not getting accepted into a military academy to family conflicts.
And, although they are on two different levels in the educational system, one as a student and one as a counselor, Mitnick and Clemente have have become good friends, which is unusual in a student/teacher setting, Mitnick adds.
``I feel so close to him. He's like a brother to me,'' Clemente said.
But being friends with educational superiors is not so unusual for Clemente, who breaks out into an easy smile and a sophisticated conversation with just about any teacher or faculty member that he meets.
``Sometimes I come down here just to talk to everybody,'' Clemente said. ``It feels like I should be treating them on a different level because they're adults. But I treat them like they're just friends of mine because that's the way I feel about them.''
And come fall, when Clemente gets his diploma and heads for Virginia Military Institute, Lake Taylor just won't be the same without him.
``I look at Marc as one of the most well-rounded students I've met,'' Mitnick said. ``Take the best of every kid and put them together - and that's Marc.''
Not only is Clemente academically talented - he was president of the National Honor Society and ranked fifth in his class scholastically - but he lettered in two sports this year, tennis and soccer, as well as designing the school's yearbook.
``And there's a piece of him that is so sensitive and caring,'' Mitnick explained. He always wants his middle initial ``P'' included in his name because it represents his mom's maiden name, Pereira.
Also he's an unofficial peer tutor at the school. ``It's like whenever my friends have problems, if I see they're down, I'm willing to listen, process the information and give advice,'' he said.
Because of these combined traits, Mitnick nominated Clemente as a Hampton Roads Achiever, a scholarship program sponsored by WAVY-TV 10. He was one of five students to win in all of Hampton Roads.
Clemente says he was nervous during the scholarship interview but not to the point that he didn't know what to say. However, when he left, he felt disappointed because he didn't think he had a good interview.
``Usually, I try to leave a little bit of my personality,'' he said. ``I try to elicit some emotion to make them laugh or at least make them smile.''
Much of Clemente's time is spent at his church, St. Pius, in Norfolk. He is part of the pastoral council and helped elect a new priest for his church this past winter. He credits his faith for being confident in himself and consequently, comfortable around adults, like his teachers.
``In the Bible it says there is nobody you should fear but God,'' Clemente said, a small gold cross hanging from a chain around his neck. ``In all aspects I try to do the best and pursue it and not to be intimidated by people.
``I have confidence,'' he said, and then broke out into a grin. ``But I don't want to seem arrogant.''
Not a chance, even though his peers at school voted him most intelligent, most likely to succeed and most dependable.
Clemente plans on studying either politics or international studies. Nothing, he said, seems out of reach - not even the presidency.
Mitnick made up a hall pass for Clemente that reads ``USP2B: United States President to be.''
``His goal is to be president,'' Mitnick said.
Or king of the jungle. by CNB