A Spark for Change: #26-A Town United

sparkforchange rotator2Today, I sat in a packed Kiwanis Stadium and witnessed the most amazing display of love and solidarity I have ever seen. I looked around and saw every type of person imaginable, but we all felt like one big family. We were there to honor a remarkable kid who will forever remain in our hearts because that is all he was—heart.

I have watched kids unite and comfort each other. People who aren’t friends became friends. Disagreements ended. Love was spread. I am so proud of the way we all have come together. Besides watching all this, seeing the outpouring of support from surrounding communities has been nothing short of amazing. It shows us all how great people truly are.

I will be the first to admit that I was a wreck on Wednesday and Thursday. I loved Jake as if he was my little brother. I have known him since he was a kid, so I had a great deal of trouble being the “rock” I was supposed to be for the students at LPHS. Yet, I woke up on Friday with a sense of inspiration, which I am sure was from Jake himself. I knew I needed to keep Jake’s compassionate heart alive in LPHS; that’s what I plan to do.

Jake was our Kindness Campaign leader. He was in the class that started it all, and he was the one who was the biggest champion of what we were trying to accomplish. It is because of this that I am going to do everything I can to get our entire school behind what Jake started. I don’t want it to be something we do for just a week or a month. I want these kids to live just like their friend did every single day. I want this community to follow suit.

Life is not guaranteed. We all should want to be loved and remembered like Jake was today. I have never in my life been a part of an event where the love was palpable. Jake was in us all, and I want him to forever remain there. Let’s make La Porte the pillar of love and kindness. Let us be quick to reach out a helping hand. Let us see the good in everyone. Let us support each other forever and always. Let us live a life that inspires others. We all know that Jake did, and we should all be forever grateful for the time he had here. What an impact he has made on us all. Thank you to his family for sharing him with us as long as they did. I have never been more proud to be a Slicer.

Go be like Jake,

EP