Wonderful to connect with Jacob '20 from Seattle, Washington, who attended ASB from G9-12, together with his brother Joshua, who is currently a Junior. While remote learning was not on his mind when he initially applied to Stanford University last year, Jacob is embracing the opportunity to connect and learn virtually with collective minds during his first year. Join us as we catch up with this remarkable young man.

Can you tell us a little about your university choice?

"Stanford originally was not on my radar; I was very set on attending university on the East Coast. I almost decided not to apply as the deadline was January 1st, and the night before, I had been celebrating New Year's Eve. My views changed when I visited Stanford in February, a month after I had applied. I fell in love with the campus and told myself that I had to find a way to study there at some point in my life. After that, I just felt so lucky to be eventually accepted."  

How challenging was your senior year at ASB last year amidst the outbreak of the Covid pandemic?

"Although our senior year at ASB did not end the way we had expected, I felt that compared to others suffering from the pandemic, we were rather fortunate. The extra month off coupled with no IB exams was truly a bonus."

How prepared were you after completing the IBDP for university studies?

"I feel the IBDP prepared me and others well for university by placing large amounts of pressure on us at a young age, a feat generally reserved for when one only begins the university process."
What experiences or teachers from ASB inspired who you are today?

"Throughout my time at ASB, there are many teachers who played a huge role in my development. With a few exceptions, every teacher I had was both a kind and genuine person, as well as an excellent instructor. They are the kind of people willing to go above and beyond for their students.

There are four teachers, in particular, I would like to mention.

Ms. Michelle made my high school experience so much richer. Besides her positively unique and experienced teaching style, Ms. Michelle has the smoothest rapport with the student body than any other teacher I have ever met (I know I am not alone in this assessment). Whether someone is having a bad day or needs urgent advice, we all go to Ms. Michelle to receive her wisdom and because she has the ability to always make you feel better.

Ms. Corral was my Spanish teacher for all four years of school. Unlike some language teachers, Ms. Corral was always acutely aware of the difficulties of learning a language and always remained positive and gentle in her instruction. In my first year, I remember the way she took care of all the SLL1 students, looking out for us even when she did not have to do so. If only every student had Ms. Corral as their language teacher, learning a language would be much easier.

Mr. Hennessy represents what learning should be. He constantly challenged my perspectives so that I could ground my real convictions in reason. His crusade of spreading cultural knowledge has armed hundreds of students with endless commentary fodder, allowing them to enjoy unique joys in life, like the ability to recite iconic movie lines with adults. Most of all, Mr. Hennessy has made me a much more polished speaker. If you want him to do the same for you and maybe win some silverware along the way, join NESDA!

Coach Tex's positive impact on his players is immeasurable. When most people see Coach Tex, they see the man who turned a winless, hopeless basketball team into European Sports Conference (ESC) Champions (the only ASB team ever to win the award). But when I see Coach Tex, I see a role model for all of his players and students. Playing under Coach Tex has taught me so much about what it means to be diligent, disciplined, and dignified. His embodiment of those traits gives his players the best form of life education, which ironically occurs after school ends."

What would be a favorite ASB memory?

"My favorite ASB memory was winning the 2019 IBERIAN Basketball Championship in Barcelona. Although our team later went on to win the more prestigious ESC Championship, the IBERIAN Finals holds a special place in my heart as it was our basketball team's first championship win in history. I remember seeing so many parents, teachers, and students at the game, allowing us to share such a special moment with them while we lifted the trophy over CAISL."

In your opinion, what makes ASB special?

"I came to ASB in 9th grade after having been homeschooled for seven years. I didn't really know what to expect. What makes ASB special is its culture of welcomeness. From the moment I arrived at ASB, I felt welcome. Not just by teachers and staff, but also by other students. This feeling of welcomeness is not present in all schools. It requires thoughtfulness to cultivate, and a dedicated effort to maintain."
What are you thinking about doing after graduation?

"At the moment, I either want to work in the fields of politics or artificial intelligence."

Any advice for younger students?

"Isn't it pretty cool you get to be with all of your friends all day, every day at school? Make sure you know it won't last. Enjoy it while you can."

If you could describe ASB in one word, what would it be?

"Opportunities."

Thank you for sharing, Jake! We wish you all the very best for your studies at Stanford and also for your future career.

Once a Lynx, Always a Lynx!
#Lynx4Life #ASBtogether

Contributed: November 2020