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A Step Above: A Step Above – Jake Smirk
Bishop Gorman High School
Class of 2013
As a defensive end and State Champion on the football field, Bishop Gorman High School senior Jake Smirk brings a sense of athleticism, spirit and undeniable energy to his favorite sport. Big colleges have begun to take notice, with offers coming in from several Ivy League schools, proving that Jake values hitting the books just as much as his efforts on the field. Humble, astute and always charming, he’s got a clear vision for his future, thinking beyond the gridiron toward innovation and enterprise. With big dreams comes big success, and that’s exactly the kind of attitude that sets Jake Smirk – A Step Above.
G.P.A.: 3.8
Sports/Activities/Community Service
- Football, 2009-Present
- National Honor Society, 2010-Present
- National Spanish Honor Society, 2011-12
- Micro Bank, 2010-11
- Catholic Charities, 2009-11
- Boys Flag Football Coach, 2010
- Tutor for National Honor Society, 2010-Present
Awards
- State Champions (Football), 2010-12
- Defensive MVP, 2012
- League Defensive MVP, 2012
- Las Vegas Sun All-Star Team, 2012
- All-State, 2012
- Scholarship Offers: Cornell, Georgetown, Dartmouth, 2012-13
- Scholar Athlete, 2009-12
- Computer Graphics Student Award, 2010
Goals & Aspirations: “In the future, my ultimate goal is to own a business which changes the way people do something now. One avenue I see myself pursuing is developing and using 3D printing. I want to create a product similar to the way Apple has created products, inventing something and perfecting it.”
Accomplishments Most Proud Of: “The accomplishment I am most proud of is where my football career has led me. In two years, I gained fifty-five pounds of muscle and made myself a competitor. I never imagined being recruited to play Division I football, especially at an Ivy League. Without the hard work, I would not have been as successful in football.”
Jake is Stronger and Wiser Because: “My junior year, I had an injury to my knee just before an ESPN game, which put me out of eight games. Recovering from my injury, I made myself stronger and faster when I came back to start during the state championship. Having such a major setback, I was able to see how much I was willing to go through in order to succeed.”
Part of the Solution: “The key issue facing young adults today is competing for high school and college admissions, which is solely based on grading and test scores and not how much a person has learned or how much effort they put in. Some of my peers’ creativity and efforts have been stifled due to this. Making education a more individualized process would be a solution.”
