Deer Park: Braylon Dean isn’t sure where the road will lead, but he knows he’s on the right path

Deer Park High School senior Braylon Dean gets right to the point.

“I’m very goal-oriented,” he said. “When I see something I want, I go and get it. In sports and in the classroom, it’s important to me to get things done quickly and get them done correctly.”

Dean credits his can-do attitude to his family and also to the many moves they’ve made, living in Texas, Arizona, Maryland and, finally, Washington.

“Both my parents are hard workers,” he said, “and we’ve lived all over the country. I fell in love with sports early, and I found that they helped me to find friends and adapt socially to new situations. If you move often and don’t go after things, you’re gonna be lonely and life will be harder. You need to take advantage of every new opportunity.”

At Deer Park, Dean was a two-sport athlete, a 4.0 student, and an ASB officer. His first love is baseball, where he was a three-year varsity starter for the Stags.

“I love to get out to the diamond, whether it’s having my dad pitch to me or with my buddies. It’s my safe place, where I can relax and escape if things aren’t going right. Baseball is a game that brings you down to earth, and humbles you quickly. As a catcher, I love running the show and being a leader on the team.”

While Dean values the lessons that his frequent moves taught him, he’s also happy to have settled in Deer Park, where his family has lived for the past eight years.

“I think being here for a longer time has helped me to build long-lasting relationships,” he said. “Moving can make you guarded, because you don’t know when you’re going to leave next. Here, I’ve been able to stretch my social circle, be more involved, and be a bigger part of everything.”

Brandy Barton has had Dean as a student for four years as his instructor in three science courses and ASB leadership.

“Braylon has exhibited excellence in everything he does,” she wrote. “He goes above and beyond to understand course content and uses his knowledge to help his peers. He is a positive role model, reflective, and an inspiration to others. He is a one-of-a-kind student.”

Dean isn’t sure where next fall will find him, as he awaits college baseball opportunities. One thing he does know is that his career goal is a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical science. One of his aunts is a pharmacist, and Dean hopes to work his way from retail to commercial and eventually to research and management.

“I don’t know what will come next for me,” Dean said, “but even if I’m uncertain about that, I will trust the process. I know that if I make educated decisions and control what I can control, I will be able to put myself in the places I want to be. Whatever decision I make, it will be the best for me, and I trust that everything will work out.”