Whiz Kid: Jason Meleco

It did not take long for Jason Meleco to find his calling. He is already making the most out of his passion.

Meleco is a student at Lower Moreland High School. He has embarked on a career path involving computer programming and already has a head start thanks to the Computer Network Administration program at , a public school serving high school students in Montgomery County.

“All the work I have been getting is work that I like doing,” said Meleco.  “It all has to do with the computer part and the networking aspect.”

Meleco will be graduating from both Lower Moreland and EASTERN in June, but he has already gained valuable experience at the college level. EASTERN offered Meleco the opportunity to take classes at MCCC. 

They included 12 credits from dual enrollment through his EASTERN Computer Network Administration program as well as 17 credits from other courses.

Meleco took part in a Summer Fun program called “Inside a PC.”

The Summer Fun program is offered by EASTERN for students in seventh, eighth-and-ninth grade. 

It was at the Summer Fun program where Meleco first got hooked onto the computer world.

“I guess I knew something about it,” Meleco said. “I saw the program the first time I came here and saw what a network administrator does. It just seemed really interesting to me and is seemed like this is what I wanted to do.”

Meleco has a schedule that’s a bit busier than your average high school senior.

However, Meleco has been able to balance his time at both Lower Moreland and MCCC, so he is able to prioritize to avoid falling behind.

“There is obviously a lot,” said Meleco.  “It comes down to good time management.  I try to schedule everything out and make sure I have everything done by the due date.”

Meleco is heading to Drexel after graduation. He will go to the Philadelphia school for both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree.  Meleco’s time at MCCC should make the adjustment to Drexel a bit easier now that he has already worked in a college classroom.

“I guess it’s going to be somewhat of a change,” Meleco said.  “I have been doing mostly online classes, but I have also done a few at the college. Making the transition, I think I have a better outlook on what college is like now with all of the assignments and what teachers expect from me.  I think it’s going to be an easy transition.”

There are several professions that are still recovering from the recent recession. 

Many industries are still either cutting back or limiting their number of employees.  Meleco has chosen a career that he not only enjoys, but also offers more stability than other industries.

“The computer field is always growing with the new technology out there,” said Meleco.  “Some companies get larger and need their resources.  Network administrators are one of the biggest parts.  If you don’t have us, you don’t have a company to run.”

Now that Meleco is planning on a career in computer programming, he is excited about the future. After spending time at several companies across the area, Meleco is hoping to one-day make his mark in a place that will offer everything he has dreamed about for his future.

“I went to the larger companies and they seemed really cool to work at,” Meleco said.  “I got to spend the day there and see what they do. That’s what I see me doing in the next few years.”