Sophomore Damerea Hopp describes himself as outgoing. He thinks that he has always been so, but it took a while for him to show it around people outside of his family. Now in the 10th grade at CCHS, Damerea has finally opened up, thanks to high school, his friends and the CCHS band. Photo by Julie Alpaugh.
Update: The ODYSSEY Media Group will provide viewers with weekly stylized profiles that center on people in the Athens community telling their own stories.
By VIOLET MERRITT – Staff Writer
Clarke Central High School sophomore Damerea Hopp attributes his personality to a few memorable moments.
When sophomore Damerea Hopp thinks about how he has become the person he is, it all comes back to three defining moments: entering high school, finding a genuine group of friends and joining the Clarke Central High School Band.
Making the leap
When Damerea graduated from Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School and began high school, things changed for him.
“It helped me grow up a little bit. I was a little bit childish before I came here. I liked to joke around, catch attitude to teachers. I still kind of do that now sometimes, but I can say it’s gotten better than when I (first) came to high school.”
High school also allowed Damerea to have more freedom. He was no longer bound by the fear of judgement.
“I guess everyone at Clarke Central has kind of shaped me. When I got to high school, I stopped caring what people thought of me, and I just went for it. I didn’t care what anybody thought of me.”
Breaking out of his shell
Because of his family, Damerea has always been an extrovert. But it took some time for him to show that side at school. He was able to do this after he met some of his best friends.
“A group of friends really helps me. I hang out with a lot of people, but I always like to come back to people who have shaped me. Having a group of friends (has) changed my life completely. It’s given me a full, just like, a feeling of belonging. My family loves me of course, but I just feel like when I’m around certain people–I come out more. “
Finding a new type of family
CCHS Marching Band has influenced Damerea in a way he never expected.
“It opened a lot of doors for me and introduced me to a different side of people, like I didn’t know those kinds of people existed. People who are more outgoing and those (who) are kind of sheltered, when they came to band, it kind of opened them up. And I feel like I kind of fit in with that group.”
Damerea plays contra-alto clarinet and baritone horn. He has been playing in the band since sixth grade, but high school band has been a very different experience.
“You have no competitiveness in it, it’s just like, we don’t fight over who’s the best. We’re just like ‘You’ll get better.’ We’ll help each other. But band is just like a family. It gives me some type of home.”
