By Jay Meisel

Meisel@hometownnewsol.com

ST. LUCIE COUNTY - Jerry Miles Johnson III is not your typical 8-year-old who mostly attends school, does his homework and plays with his friends.

Jerry, who lives in Port St. Lucie, has his own monthly radio program on WIRA 1400 AM, based in Port St. Lucie, and has started his own nonprofit organization to help other kids. He aspires to be the next African-American president.

On Aug. 15, his foundation, called Jerry's Journey to Success, will hold a school supply giveaway at 10 a.m. on the corner of 25th Street and Avenue Q.

The first 300 children will receive free backpacks and other school supplies. There also will be free hotdogs, hamburgers and chips.

From 5 to 7 p.m. that day, he will host a back-to-school skate party at Skatetown USA, 4301 Orange Ave., Fort Pierce.

The first 150 children will be able to attend free.

Lavern Jones, his grandmother, said she was impressed when he came to her with the idea.

"He told me he dreamed about it and Jesus said for him to do it," she said.

The cost of both events, about $3,000, came from a trust fund set up by his father, Jerry Miles Johnson, a member of the Denver Broncos.

Jerry's mother, Lakeisha Edwards, a teacher in Palm Beach County, who also liked the idea, helped him get permission to obtain the money from the trust fund.

Ms. Jones said the foundation was set up to try to keep kids from joining gangs.

Its aim is "to let them know there is a life outside of gangs and that they can reach their dreams," she said.

Jerry said he wanted to hold the school supply giveaway because, "I want to help students by giving them a free new backpack and supplies to help them go back to school."

Regarding the skate party, he said, "I wanted to give students a fun adventure before they go back to school."

Jerry attends school at Francis K. Sweet Magnet School in Fort Pierce and is a straight A student, his grandmother said.

She said he also has a photographic memory and can quickly recite what he has read on paper.

Larry Lee, a local businessman, suggested Jerry host the radio program after being impressed with his memory.

His radio show has been on the air for about seven months and broadcasts the first Monday of each month from 6 to 6:30 p.m.

During his shows, he has interviewed attorney Willie Gary, Michael Lannon, superintendent of the St. Lucie County School District and Joe Smith, St. Lucie County clerk of court.

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miami, is expected to participate in the show in October.

Some of the programs also focus on kids.

Besides hosting the radio show, Jerry does karate and plays football for the Port St. Lucie Pirates, a Pop Warner team.

His goals are to be high school valedictorian, attend Florida State University, then Harvard University to become a lawyer, play football in the National Football League, before becoming the next African-American president, he said.

But in some ways he's still an 8-year-old.

Ms. Jones suggested future activities of his foundation might include a dance.

"Do I have to dance?" he asked.