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Baskin School first-grader colors ambition
 The future promises clear skies for 7-year old Mason Bordelon, drawing his way to stardom through the KARD/KTVE "Color the Weather" contest sponsored by Johnny's Pizza. The Baskin first-grader draws maps of the United States from memory and won a spot on KARD/KTVE to forecast the weather with chief meteorologist Jarod Floyd.
"I was nervous at first," Mason said of his studio experience, "I didn't look at the computer the first time, but I did the second time and it was so much better."
Mason said he enjoyed visiting the studio where he received the grand tour and learned a few behind-the-scene tricks to broadcasting a live weather report.
The artwork Mason submitted to the contest depicted Hurricane Gustav as it approached the Gulf of Mexico.
"He started paying close attention to the hurricane forecast during tropical depression Dolly," said Robert Bordelon, Mason's father. "He would watch the Weather C Channel for extended periods of time, and then he would come in the living room and draw from memory."
When he's not storm watching or drawing his own weather maps to illustrate his predictions, Mason and little brother Carson spend time outside recreating the weather with small scale terrain and a water hose for flooding.
Mrs. Betty Adams, Mason's first-grade teacher at Baskin School, encourages his meteorological ambitions with books from the Extreme Weather series as well as allowing him to forecast the weather for his classmates.
In addition to his television debut as a weatherman, Mason's classmates were treated to a pizza party catered by Johnny's Pizza of Winnsboro. Johnny Huntsman, owner of Johnny's Pizza was on hand to congratulate Mason and to film a live commercial with his classmates encouraging other students to submit their artwork to the contest. The commercial will be broadcast on the two networks in rotation through Dec. 11.
"I was kind of nervous for him because I knew the competition in this contest would be tough," said Mason's father, Robert Bordelon, "so we are very proud of him to say the least."
Aside from Mason's aspirations to be a weatherman, his other passion seems to be country music. As a computer-savvy fan of country singer James Aldean, the first-grader can locate his next and nearest concert. Mason has traveled extensively with his family to concerts and trips to spend time with relatives and will soon travel to South Carolina where he and his family have ringside seats to a wrestling match.
Mason is the son of Robert and Keesha Bordelon of Baskin and the grandson of Dale and Jenny Mason of Wisner. |
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