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VIDALIA, La. — Leading up to a statewide 4-H competition in public speaking, Xavier Johnson who will soon to be starting 9th-grade at Concordia Parish Academy said he felt “a little scared but confident.”

That confidence proved worthwhile to Johnson, who won first place as the youngest participant there.

The 4-H University competition was hosted June 18 through 21 at Louisiana State University. During the week, students stayed in dormitories, visited college classrooms and explored campus life. Public speaking was one of the possible 41 contests Johnson competed in.

“It was big,” Johnson said. “I met a lot of people and there was a lot of competition.”

Johnson — the son of Daralynn and C. Travis Johnson — aspires to develop video games and become an entrepreneur. Before entering high school, he already imagines himself going to college at Louisiana Tech to study computer science and start his own programming business.

He enjoys playing Madden, Fortnite, Call of Duty as well as some board games at home.

Johnson said his biggest role model is perhaps his dad, who also happens to be the Louisiana House Representative for District 21.

“Honestly, I knew he would do well — we all listened to his speech — but I didn’t know he would win,” C. Travis Johnson said. “The competition is for 8th to 12th grade statewide and he was the youngest in the competition that day. He was good at it.”

Johnson was assigned the speaking topic of Agricultural Cooperatives and was able to prepare a month before the competition.

“I practiced my speech in front of a mirror and recorded myself and I focused on the things I messed up on. When I messed up, I made sure I got it right next time. I felt really confident. I was ready to give my speech.”

Johnson said he spoke on how cooperatives support farmers and their businesses to help them make money and live better lives.

Before the competition, he had only one other opportunity to speak publicly, he said.

“In school we had a black history program and I had to read the paragraph they gave me. I did decently,” he said.

It was different than speaking in front of what he guessed was around 1,300 people at LSU, “too many to count.”

“I was scared a little bit but I was confident,” Johnson said. “When you’re in a big crowd with a lot of people watching you, you don’t want to mess up.”

In addition to playing games, Johnson said he enjoys playing football and basketball, learning, exercising, spending time with friends and eating — “I have a big appetite.”

His favorite school subjects to study are reading and science, he said.