On April 7, Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed into the Supreme Court by President Joe Biden. She is a remarkable judge in the sense that she knew what she wanted to do with her life from a very young age. As a young girl, watching her father work on cases captured her attention. 

Stephen Rosenthal, fellow graduate of Palmetto High School, Miami, and one of Jackson’s childhood friends, told The Gator that he’s impressed with how far she’s come. 

“Ketanji has always taken on challenges, whether setting her sights high, like running for the highest class office in middle and high school, or founding a new organization, a particular theater program at Harvard College,” Rosenthal said. “I was impressed by her unflinching commitment to excellence in everything she did, including doing the hard work it takes to succeed.” 

As teenagers, both Rosenthal and Jackson were on the debate team. This, evidently, might be what solidified her decision to become a lawyer. After being raised by a lawyer, she showed a remarkable aptitude for the career. 

Many high schoolers like us have little to no idea on what they want to do with their life, and it’s very uncommon that someone at that age does. This is what makes Jackson remarkable.

“Ketanji was remarkable in that she knew, at least by the time she was 17, that she wanted to become a judge; she said so in our senior yearbook,” Rosenthal said. “It’s pretty unusual for someone to know what they want to do with their life when they’re in high school. It’s a question the most honest adults ask themselves periodically over time.”

Though Jackson knew she wanted to become a lawyer, it took her multiple decades to get to the Supreme Court, according to her confirmation speech. She worked for private law firms as well as being a public defender, and took jobs under different people. When she became a clerk for Justice Breyer, it boosted her up in the world of legal work. Now, she is the first Black woman to be nominated and confirmed to the Supreme Court—a testament to her dedication and our country’s progress.