SAND SPRINGS, Okla. — Reed Secondine is passionate about a position with some serious highs and lows.
"I want to be a meteorologist when I grow up," said Reed.
Reed is on the path he's on at just 12 years old and it seems the sky's the limit.
"I watch the radar. I watch the weather, and then I like going outside and looking at all the clouds and seeing what the temperature feels like," Reed said.
His family said this isn't just a hobby; it's a way of life.
"The TV gets turned on in the mornings, and he mutes it. He mutes the news, and he does his own weather reporting for us in the morning. On the weekends, he puts a suit on because he knows the meteorologists always have their suits on," said Reed's mom, Kimberley Secondine.
Reed's love of all things lights, camera, action started at five and has skyrocketed.
"It started with a love for cameras and technology, and it's grown into this element of, wow, there's another side to technology and cameras. It's not just reporting or anchoring but an option of meteorology, which brings in math and science and things that he likes," said Kimberley,
Reed is known for his neighborhood reporting.
He had a weather-themed birthday party. With his birthday money, he purchased radar software and created his own streaming studio.
He recently started doing Facebook Lives for friends and family on his mom's private Facebook page.
"I asked my mom if I could go live because I wanted to help people stay safe and informed," said Reed.
"I reluctantly said yes. I gave my Facebook viewers a heads-up: My 12-year-old is going to go live and do some reporting. Just keep swiping if you don't want to see it because I know he's still a child," said Kimberley.
Reed studies the weather and forecasts, too.
"I normally try to predict it and watch it to see how I did. So far, my track record is pretty good," said Reed.
He hopes other kids find comfort from his advice.
"I don't want kids to be scared of storms, and I think if you have a safe place to go, you're not as scared," said Reed.
Like most forecasters, he's keeping an eye on the sky and planning for what's next.
"First step: I want to get my own Facebook page so I can post daily about the weather, " said Reed. Mom says while that may be a few years away, there's no doubt his future is bright. "My forecast is that he's going to do anything he puts his mind to. He really is, and I would love to see him as a meteorologist," said Kimberley.
Reed plans to visit the National Weather Service in Norman and the NBC studios in New York this summer. We also plan to treat him to a tour of the 2 News Oklahoma Weather Center.
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