From Cathy Weaver Kamehameha Schools
November 30, 2009Jake had us in the palm of his hand…800 students and faculty mesmerized! Yes, we were ready to see his talent as a musician-- his incredible versatility and his blistering speed on the `ukulele are no secret. But who knew he was such an effective speaker? He amazed us! One of our faculty has organized dozens of events with motivational speakers, and she said Jake is the best she has EVER heard.
He told the students about his own start with music. He demonstrated how he “layers” a song with percussion, bass, chords, and picking. He played his heart out. And he talked about the power of having focus and discipline, of pursuing your passions and your dreams, drug-free. He connected with all the students, whether they love music, chess, science, or sports. His prolonged demonstration of a baseball pitcher getting in the “zone” was worthy of stand-up comedy!
How often can we see in a person this combination of huge talent and genuine humility? And what is more joyful than watching someone gifted who so wildly loves what he’s doing? We all had big grins throughout the program…it was just so much fun!
Thank you, Jake, for who you are. What a role model, what a thoroughly nice guy! And what a way to use your time and talents to inspire the young people of Hawaii to reach high. We are BIG FANS!
