Fourteen-year-old
Jack Harris has had lots of success in school, sports and
extra-curricular activities. But, setting up a lemonade
stand was one of the experiences he remembers most.
His lemonade stand was part of a fundraiser titled "Malaria
No More," which raised money to help buy mosquito nets for
families in Central America. That's one of the protections
needed to avoid bites that spread the dreaded disease.
Jack
Harris |
Jack said, "In planning for the fund-raiser, I got to know
how many people die from malaria every year.
"Next summer, I'm going to take part in the 'Malaria No
More' fund-raising again."
Community service work is just one of the criteria Young
Achiever judges considered when picking 2009 Gateway Young
Achievers. Winners of the regional award get a $1,000 savings
bond and will be considered for national honors.
(Young Saint Louis.com has focused attention
on the Gateway Young Achievers program for several years.
Last May, YSL.com ran a story naming the 2009 YA
winners.
(Since then, we have run individual profiles of 2009
elementary and middle school winners. To view previous stories,
click on Past
Stories and go to the June through October issues.
We will have one more 2009 profile next month.)
Jack is now an 8th grader at Crestview Middle School in
West St. Louis County. He and his family live in Chesterfield.
His
2009 YA award was based on accomplishments during the 2008-09
school year. However, he's off to a fast start for this
final year at Crestview Middle.
He's been selected for the student council for the 4th
consecutive year, starting in 5th grade.
One of the duties for council members is to plan and budget
student activities for the school year. One of those activities
is running a "student store" where kids can buy school supplies
and snacks.
Asked about the store's appeal, Jack said, "We're usually
cheaper than WalMart and we're right here on campus,"
Jack achieved a 4.0 grade point throughout both 6th and
7th grades. He's also received the national President's
Education Award in both 6th and 7th grade for academic achievement.
Along with the academic honors, Jack also has had perfect
attendance while a Crestview. "I can't even remember when
I last missed school," he said.
Jack has had success in a number of sports.
He participates in the St. Louis Gateway Tennis League.
He was first in the league's 12-and-under tournament in
2008 and represented the league in a tournament in Indianapolis.
Last summer, he was 2nd in the 14-and-under tournament
in the Midwest meet in Chicago.
His
baseball team, The Attack, was 2008 Missouri State AAA tournament
in Kansas City. Then they placed third in the USSSA Baseball
World Series in Detroit.
In 2007, his team was the ll-and-under champion in the
AAYBA Open World Series tournament.
Jack was the team's 3rd baseman. Asked about his hitting,
he said "I had the best on-base percentage of anyone on
the team."
He also participates in basketball, soccer and swimming.
Jack
said he plans to remain active in most of those sports during
his 8th grade year.
In school, he said his favorite class is math. He's studying
algebra this year.
About his plans for further schooling, Jack said he'll
be at Marquette High School in Chesterfield next year. Then,
he plans to go to college, possibly at the University of
Missouri-Columbia.
Asked about a career, Jack said he is thinking about medical
school and would like to be a radiologist. He said his older
sister in medical school in Chicago and "I like her descriptions
of her studies."
He said his $1,000 prize for being named a Young Achiever
has gone into his college fund. Another $500 came from his
winning entry in an Olin Corporation Ethics Calendar contest.
He received an early recognition for his character when
he was awarded a "Do the Right Thing." This award is given
to St. Louis area residents who show community spirit with
a good deed.
When he was a 6th grader, Jack and a friend were playing
near a creek when they found a discarded pocket book, with
credit cards inside. They turned it in to the local police,
who returned it to the owner.
When it comes to working around the neighborhood, Jack
has a special financial incentive. He has a matching agreement
with his parents if he puts his earnings into his college
fund.
His mother, Annette, said, "We match dollar for dollar
any money he earns by his own labor if it goes in the college
fund. We don't match money he wins in prizes, only money
that he's worked for and saves."
His YA nomination form included an endorsement letter
from Ms. Marcy Dunlap, his professional school counselor
at Crestview Middle.
She said "I have no doubt that Jack will be successful
in everything that he does due to his internal motivation
and desire to reach his fullest potential."
