If it indeed “takes a village to raise a child,” Jefferson County Justice of the Peace (JP) Brad Burnett said, count him as a member of that community.
Presiding as judge in the Precinct 7 JP court since 2002, credited as the “longest-serving elected official in Jefferson County,” Burnett has seen hundreds of teens referred to his court, typically for truancy and misdemeanor criminal offenses. Some troubled youth pass through the JP court as a precursor to a life of criminal activity; others transform into model members of society. Burnett said all are given the opportunity to rise to greatness — and nothing makes him happier than when a young person on the wrong path makes a sharp turn in the right direction.
May 6, Burnett called on the Port Neches-Groves and Nederland ISDs villages to join forces behind a “Shining Star,” PN-G senior Raziel Muraira, who broke free from childhood trauma and youthful indiscretions that landed him in JP court, to the eve of a great future as a productive, and successful, member of society.
PN-G Assistant Principal Amber Olesky was one of the many administrators recommending Muraira for the Shining Star award, given annually by Burnett for 21 years to a student (or two) deserving of the honor. With graduation just weeks away for Muraira, the student and assistant principal now communicate as friends, enjoying the Shining Star ceremony with family and community supporters. In Olesky’s recommendation letter, however, she reflected on a time not so long ago when she and Muraira were not sympatico.
“Within his first week on campus, Raziel received a referral for disrespect,” Olesky recalled. “He was often defensive with adults, frequently found in the hallway instead of in class, and was disciplined for skipping. Over time, he was written up multiple times for defiance, disrespect, and refusal to complete work.”
Olesky joked that Muraira would walk the other way if he saw her coming down the hall — and the student’s behavior continued to decline.
“In the fall of his junior year, he had an encounter with law enforcement — an event that, in hindsight, may have marked a turning point for him,” she said. “During his junior year, visits to the assistant principal’s office became rare and, as a senior, they stopped altogether. While this improvement in behavior is notable, it is not the most remarkable part of his journey.”
Like many other students with a learning challenge, Muraira’s functional illiteracy was never properly addressed — until Olesky and the PN-G team took note of Muraira’s special needs and worked within the student’s strengths to drastically improve his scholastic ability.
ESL teacher Jennifer Turner said she helped Muraira with his reading studies — and watched his confidence grow and obstinance diminish.
“He sometimes, a lot of times, surprises himself,” Turner said of just how far Muraira has come in such a short time.
“When I first met Raziel, he didn’t speak much, was known for not participating in class and often kept his hood up, appearing defiant and withdrawn,” PN-G counselor Kaleigh Gaspard shared. “As he gradually opened up, I came to understand that his lack of participation was not rooted in defiance, but in gaps in his education and the effects of a difficult, trauma-filled background.”
Hitting the root of the issue unmasked the challenges Muraira needed to rise above.
“Having missed a substantial amount of school he was not unwilling — he was overwhelmed and behind. He was also disappointed with himself about choices he made that led to major consequences,” Gaspard assessed. “Despite these challenges, Raziel has demonstrated incredible resilience and self-awareness. He has been honest about his past and intentional about making better choices for his future. Raziel has seen where poor choices lead and knows he wants more for himself.”
A ‘Shining Star’ is born
Before his judicial career, Burnett reports working as a plant manager and businessowner, and served three terms on the PN-G ISD Board of Trustees. It was on school board business, Burnett said, where he discovered his true passion in working with and inspiring young people. As a board trustee, Burnett was afforded a bird’s-eye view of youth in need of a village; so, when elected to the bench, Burnett set about creating a nurturing community support system for teens referred to his court.
For 21 of the last 23 years, Burnett has lauded praise on students from PN-G and Nederland ISDs who have impressed the judge with major life turnarounds, he said.
“This award began in 2003 after we kept seeing something special in this courtroom,” Burnett shared. “It started with truancy … but then we’d seen some of these kids turn themselves around. You know, we were just giving them a pat on the back, and they were really appreciative. We got to the point that we wanted to do a little bit more.”
Burnett said he and his staff have “lively discussions” each year to select the honoree from a pool of nominations. This year’s Shining Star, Burnett said, is a young person who would’ve had an easier go of things if he had just quit. Instead, this star kept moving forward, even when it was the hard way out of the mess they were in.
“It was unanimous,” Burnett said of picking Muraira as the Shining Star for 2026. “This student has faced obstacles, but it didn’t stop him. He did not quit. And again, with the encouragement from his teachers, we’re so proud that he will be graduating. In fact, that’s what this award is all about.”
A PN-G graduate himself, Burnett expressed gratitude for the district’s educators, notably the many that go to great lengths to see students succeed.
Wanted: Villagers
Burnett grew emotional when voicing words to the vibes being tossed about the celebration. The judge said he could “feel it in their voice,” when the teachers spoke that they truly cared about the students under their charge.
“These are the teachers; these are the mentors; these are your guardians. You’ve got a lot of people here for you today,” Burnett told Muraira, who was overwhelmed with the show of love.
In addition to friends and family Muraira knew, elected officials, county workers, school administrators, local business reps, higher education staff and more were on site to congratulate this year’s Shining Star.
“We’re so proud,” Burnett beamed, arm around a grinning teen. “And, if anyone has earned this award, from what we’ve heard, it is this student.”
Erik Sullivan of e. Sullivan Advertising & Design presented Muraira with a gift — custom crafted barber shears for the soon-to-be high school graduate with aspirations of barbery. Muraira’s dream of a future career as a barber was further bolstered by Lamar State College Port Arthur showing up with a welcome bag that doubled duty as the aspiring Seahawks’ college acceptance letter.
Jefferson County Commissioner Precinct 2 Cary Erickson said he was moved by the show of support, and hoped to see the momentum swing to such forward-moving ideas to help youth succeed.
“This is a real big deal for our community,” Erickson said, thanking Burnett for continuing with the Shining Star program for over two decades now. “I think it’s very, very important for our community, all the way around, for your support and the way you encourage these young folks. You know, all you hear about in the media, on social media, is people complaining about young folks and the crime and everything else. You’re doing something positive.”
Erickson looked around the room in amazement at the many branches of community represented in the room.
“Everybody needs to put forth that effort,” he concluded. “It’s not just one person; it’s everybody in here that’s made an impact on this young man’s life.”
“We are incredibly proud of the growth (Muraira) has shown, the perseverance he has demonstrated, and the choice he has made to take on a difficult challenge and succeed,” Oleksy said of the former tough student turned Shining Star.
Gaspard agreed: “Raziel’s journey is a powerful example of perseverance, growth, and determination. He has taken the opportunities placed before him and used them to change the trajectory of his life.”
Rounding out the trio of Muraira’s teacher cheerleaders, Turner couldn’t have been happier for the student she watched bloom from his cocoon.
“He is a true shining star,” she said. “I have no doubt that Raziel will continue to be a shining star in the community. He is, without question, deserving of this recognition.”
Muraira told The Examiner he was “truly surprised” by the level of support shown to him as a Shining Star and knowing that so many people are in his corner makes him confident and optimistic about his future.
When a teacher asked if he had ever imagined himself even as a college student, he replied, “No, no, I didn’t — but, if there’s an opportunity, I’m going to take it.”