October Teen of the Month
BY GAWHARA ABOU-EID
THE STANDARD-JOURNAL
MUNCY — Growing up on the Source Farm Foundation and Ecovillage in St. Thomas, Jamaica, Cy Dixon was surrounded by the best the ecosystem had to offer, from preserved wildlife, lush tropical green to the stunning sight of the Caribbean sea and Morant Bay.
"There, I was always outside working on a job site with my hands and making other friends in the area," he said. His love for wildlife and nature became inevitable and only continued to grow as he got older.
A Muncy Junior/Senior High School senior, Dixon has been selected as the Lycoming Valley Teen of the Month. The program is presented by Pennsylvania General Energy Company (PGE) and Sample News Group, the parent company of The Standard-Journal, in partnership with the 15 high schools in Lycoming, Sullivan and lower Tioga counties, to recognize the exemplary efforts of high school seniors.
Upon graduating from high school, Dixon hopes to study ecology and environmental science at the collegiate level.
He is the son of Muncy Public Library Director Corey Breneisen and Jomo Dixon, architectural designer for the Urban Development Corporation in Kingston, Jamaica. Dixon's family moved to Kingston soon after his birth in New York City.
After visa complications for his mother in Jamaica, his family decided to have him move with her to Muncy, where Dixon was set to begin his seventh grade year. Breineisen is a Lycoming County native.
"They though it would be better for me to live with my mother here, where there would be more opportunities and school would be free. There's no public schools in Jamaica," Dixon said.
In the first couple of years following his move, Dixon found it challenging and intimidating to find personal space and friends, particularly as the only Black student in his grade.
"When I first moved here, I didn't have any friends and didn't know anybody, so finding my group of people was definitely a challenge," he said. "I was living with my grandma because we didn't have our own place until only a couple of years ago."
He recalled a classmate mistaking his accent for a speech impediment and forgetting how cold winters could become in the commonwealth when packing his luggage for the move.
He would, however, eventually meet his closest friends in one of is middle school science classes.
"He was like 'you're different and I'm different' — he's Asian — 'I guess that makes us not-so-different, so we should be friends,' and that was the beginning of our long-time friendship," Dixon said.
He also joined the high school's varsity soccer team, an experience that has helped him find some of his other closest friends, and grow accustomed to the community.
Throughout these transitional years, however, Dixon's love for nature did not waver. He went on to join and lead efforts to develop and maintain the environment in his local community.
As an outdoor corps crew member with the Student Conservation Association in 2023, Dixon aided in trail building, improvement projects and renovations for state parks in the region.
"If you're ever camping at Worlds End State Park in Sullivan County and wanted to use the bathroom, I helped build the trail that takes you there," he said.
In March, Dixon became a Young Ambassadors of Pennsylvania (YAP) student ambassador for his local efforts in helping "keep Pennsylvania clean and beautiful."
He was tasked with developing a community survey on an issue that needed improvement within either the school or local community, eventually choosing to focus on Muncy's Heritage Park.
Following the survey and an announcement on the school board, he formed a small team of classmates, and together they removed invasive plants around the park. Rider Park Manager Sarah Street also showed up to help.
Dixon said he hopes to be able to take people through an unconventional form of teaching and exploration of the natural world in his future career.
"I'd like to show people how valuable animals and the environment are in a way that's memorable and enjoyable," he said. "I want to give back to the community and the world."
Dixon credits his high school science teachers for encouraging his love for environmental science and pushing him to grow in his passions.
"My chemistry teacher made me have to learn, and my biology teacher made me want to learn," he said. "My environmental science teacher was also a great role model and helped me get together my projects outside of school."
Dixon offers advice to younger students about attending high school
"This might sound nihilistic, but don't really have any expectation of yourself — it's one of my biggest problems — go into things without expectations, and you'll be way more appreciative of your efforts and what you do," Dixon said. "And nobody's too cool to try, so try your best."
