LHS student selected for congressional advisory council

A local high school student recently received the opportunity to learn about the intricacies of the numerous businesses that comprise Texas through a program under Congressman Brian Babin's office. 

Liberty High School junior Brannon Kelly was selected to be part of Babin's Students Congressional Advisory Council, where he will learn about various industries and potential internship and job opportunities. 

"I think that it could be an eye-opening experience into different people's perspectives in the way they see our community and bigger communities," Kelly said. 

Special Projects Director Rachel Machiavello said the program includes tours of a forestry museum, Big Thicket National Preserve, sawmills, NASA, the Port of Houston and various farms within the agriculture industry. 

Program participants also visit with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and may have the opportunity to participate in a Zoom call with Babin's legislative team. 

Machiavello said when visiting these places, the students are encouraged to ask questions, not only about operations, but also about how legislation has impacted the industries. 

"I think that it would be very interesting to learn how those places work...how the process of things work," Kelly said. 

Kelly's mom, Barbie Kelly, explained how he found out about the program, saying he was pulled from class one day by his counselor, Casey Evans, to sign the application. 

"He was all panicked," Barbie said with a small laugh. 

Barbie added that she was very excited when she learned that Kelly had been accepted to the program. 

"The fact that he is respected enough by administration...that speaks highly to me, just about his character and his work ethic," Barbie said. "Those are the kind of things that make me proud." 

Although Kelly lost his dad, Mark Kelly, to cancer in March 2023, Barbie credited her husband, saying, "His daddy did a good job." 

Kelly is quite the active student as a drum major, vice president for the class of 2027, a member of Business Professionals of America, a member of the school's AV team, yearbook staff, a member of Tri-M Music Honor Society, and he competes in University Interscholastic League competitions. 

This is Kelly's first year as drum major, and he said while it can be stressful, it's a lot of fun. 

"It's definitely a change in pace because you're worried about everybody and not just yourself," Kelly said. "It's cool to see the big picture and how everyone's doing and how other people are growing." 

As part of the AV team, Kelly is one of many behind the scenes for the Panther Sportz Network. 

Kelly shared that the team even had the opportunity to tour the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and Texas A&M's Kyle Field to see how those audiovisual teams operated. 

Even with all his extracurriculars, Kelly has a 5.922 cumulative GPA, due to his honors, AP and dual credit courses. 

Kelly hopes to earn a nursing degree when he attends college, saying he wants to expand his career from there.