School: River Ridge High School in Lacey.
Parents or guardians: Jay and Keri Damian.
Best personal achievement: The recognition I’ve received in boy’s track and cross country. Starting my freshm an through my sophomore year, I received three varsity athletic awards in boy’s track and two varsity athletic awards in cross country. ... I would like to thank Coach Phil Lonborg for his mentoring and coaching for my personal achievements in boy’s track and cross country. Because of his mentoring, I focused my senior year in my studies and career in the YMCA to help mentor children, as well.
How I spend my time: School work, spending time at the YMCA playing for the basketball league and other sports and working to become a site director for the YMCA.
Favorite subjects: Pacific Northwest history, physical education and pottery. Favorite movies: “Fast & Furious,” “Hancock” and “Iron Man 2”
Favorite books: “James and the Giant Peach” by Roald Dahl and Sport Legends books like Jesse Owens, Michael Jordan, etc.
Dream job: Being a Nascar driver like Jimmie Johnson. Someone I respect: My dad, because he serves in the military, and my mom, who has to be strong while he is away.
The hardest part of being a student is: Making sure I have credits to graduate and for my senior year, juggling work, school and planning for college and getting in shape for making the collegiate team in track and cross country.
My future ambitions or career aspirations include: Inspiring other children in the field of sports or just to be active, and helping schools see the importance of physical education, even elementary schools. My career aspiration is become a site director for the YMCA and I want to further my education in child development.
Someone famous I would like to meet: Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Jimmie Johnson.
Someday, looking back on my life, I’ll be able to say: “I made a difference in someone’s life to achieve their personal best in whatever sports and to see them in ‘Sports Illustrated’ so they may inspire someone else to achieve what they have accomplished.”
Biggest challenge facing teenagers today: Deciding what to do in life. But while you’re doing that you might as well find time to stay active in any sports, whether it’s walking or running a marathon.
One thing in the world I would change if I could: That everyone would lead an active lifestyle and play a sport .
Nominated by: P.E. and basketball skills teacher Phil Lonborg.
He wrote: “Jacob has done an amazing job of working with the special needs students in my basketball skills class. Jacob shows patience, support, thoughtfulness and a real caring for all the students. Keep it up, Jake, I’m really proud of you.”
