“With crew, one of my favorite things is winning. Winning. Crossing that line. Breaking records,” senior Jacob North said. “Last year, I had the opportunity to be the stroke of the boat that was the first [FHC] boys boat to medal in Canada, which felt so amazing.”

As he eagerly described crew, his passion for it was obvious. His eyes shone as he reminisced over the fond memories from the spring season and the remarkable experience that crew is. It was plainly clear how impactful crew has been in his life ever since he joined in his sophomore year.

His passions, however, go beyond his participation in crew; Jacob is deeply invested in academics and clubs. Unlike most students, his main motivator in AP classes isn’t solely a GPA boost. Instead, he takes courses for the significant amount of knowledge he would gain and the experience it would bring him. Each AP class he takes appeals to a different side of personality.

In the beginning, Jacob was not a total English or book fanatic, but over time he has grown to love reading and analyzing thought-provoking books. AP Literature fascinates his inner book worm, and now, knowledgeably discussing books is one of his favorite parts of the class.

“I get to sit in a class full of intelligent people, who read intelligent books by intelligent authors taught by an intelligent teacher,” Jacob said. “It’s just the amount of intelligence that surrounds you.”

On the contrary, AP Physics was not a class that he grew to love, but to succeed later on, it was a necessary class for him. Jacob had the choice to pick the easier Physics class or the advanced  Physics class, and of the two, he made the conscious decision take the harder class and push himself undeterred by the difficulties of the class.

“I wasn’t really excited,” Jacob said. “I wasn’t saying, ‘Yes! I get to do AP Physics.’”

Despite the strenuous day full of taxing classes, Jacob’s escape is AP Environmental Science. Although the class is challenging at times, it is overall enjoyable and interesting to Jacob. He has always had a love for nature and the world around us, and this class was a way for him to reconnect with the environment.

“I found a huge passion for nature, which I kind of lost touch with during my teenage years,” Jacob said. “I realized how much more there is outside than inside being on your phone.”

His reasons for being in AP Calculus are a little less motivating. In eighth grade, he unknowingly started on a track that would take him to AP Calculus for his senior year. AP Calculus is a challenging class that takes plenty of time and effort. For Jacob, the class was simply an opportunity to work hard for something he wasn’t crazy about. Many people admire his work ethic in situations like this; even when times get hard, he puts forth a positive face to push past any obstacles to achieve his goals.

“[Jacob] doesn’t let the pressure display on his face,” said Chad Scholten, the AP Environmental Science and Human Anatomy and Physiology teacher. “He has a good positive attitude about it and always stays smiling.”

Yet another love of Jacob’s is music. He loves playing concert music in band class on his alto saxophone. Music is another relief from a stressful school day. Music is its own language and collectively, the band is able to eventually flow together in a way that no other activity can bring people together. Individually, people must work on their pieces, but together, they must all work as a whole to create a beautiful sound.

“I love music. Playing in an ensemble is really fun and working with others to make something beautiful and listening to the final product. You can see yourself grow as a musician in a matter of months,” Jacob said. “What I love about music is that you’re able to watch yourself grow so quickly and make something so beautiful from marks on a page.”

Aside from the extensive achievements in his life, Jacob is a remarkable person whose impactful presence influences everyone he comes in contact with. He is admired for his hard work and his motivation. Teachers, peers, and friends alike respect him and the energy that he puts into what he loves.

“There are many different ways I would describe Jacob. [He is] hardworking and passionate in all activities that he is involved in.” said freshman Sarah North, Jacob’s sister. “I see Jacob as one of my main role models; he has worked hard for everything he has ever gotten.”

People look up to Jacob because of his hard working, intelligent, and passionate personality. He is able to overcome all barriers that are in his way through determination and also through knowing how great the pay-off will be.

“Joining all these clubs and sports, taking all these AP classes, and immersing myself in music with people who have the same passions [has been influential],” Jacob said. “It’s really shaped me into who I am.”