Baker is pursuing a brighter future through his participation in countless community events. (L to R: Travi and Baker) photo by Meara McBride
Jack Baker initiates influential change within the TJ community and beyond.
With a collaborative outlook and desire to pursue knowledge, junior Jack Baker has made a name for himself during his impressive high school career. His participation in schoolwide clubs, sports, and state wide leadership initiatives has opened many doors for Thomas Jefferson High School students and the Colorado community as a whole.
Baker can be found in a surplus of classrooms, sports fields, and leadership positions. He is the president and one of the founders of TJ’s own Letters of Love club, where he runs anything and everything technical. “I do all of the forms, I go through all of the cards, I manage communications with our global branch, I ship the cards, and I help with fundraising,” he explained. Baker also contributes guidance and inspiration to TJ’s leadership class. He aids in the organization within the chaperone group work and provides impactful guidance in school-wide events, such as pep rallies and spirit weeks.
Despite the time-consuming responsibilities that come with participating in two large organizations, Baker finds a way to thrive in the athletic scene as well. Baker has participated in Track and Field since his freshman year, and evolved from a sprinter to a long-distance runner. After discovering his passion for long-distance running, he decided to participate in Cross Country last fall. Despite starting on the junior varsity team, he made his way up the ranks and ended up on the varsity team at the end of the season. He broke his personal record every meet; “I started the season with a 25 min 5K and I ended with 20 flat.” This year, he is planning on running a half marathon after track season. He explained that his coach, TJ Social Studies teacher Jessica Popper, pushed him to pursue his running goals, through her unwavering support and encouragement.
In addition to his school centered accomplishments, Baker has also made a name for himself outside of the classroom. Alongside fellow junior, Mai Travi, Baker has been pursuing the passing of a bill that would apply the benefits of a My Denver Card to the entire state of Colorado. After talking to his beloved counselors, Baker discovered an internship called “Supporting, Helping, Investing, Fighting, Transforming, (SHIFT).” Baker went to SHIFT’s downtown offices five times a week throughout the summer in order to discuss social and emotional learning topics that applied to individual lives as well as larger collectives. Eventually the group drafted the legislation for the My Colorado Card. At the end of the summer, the SHIFT group sent the bill with the ideas to the Department of Legal Services. The bill then ended up being co-sponsored by Democrat Mandy Lindsay.
This year, Baker has spoken to schools within the Denver and Aurora Public School Districts and has met up with senators through networking opportunities. On January 22nd, Baker and Travi went to the Capitol with the bill, and talked to countless representatives with over 300 friends and family members by his side. Colorado State Senate President James Coleman supports the bill, along with the Colorado House Majority Leader, Monica Duran, and most importantly, Dusty Johnson. Johnson is a Republican representative for the Colorado House of Representatives who represents Colorado House District 63, which covers around 11,000 square miles in rural northeast Colorado. Despite her initial desire to keep the My Denver Card the same, Baker and his colleagues were able to convince her to support its statewide expansion. As of right now the bill is being evaluated within the education committee. Both Baker and Travi will speak in the House Chamber after the bill is edited by the committee.
While some may view his extensive participation in activities overwhelming, Baker explained that he is fulfilled by time consuming, hard work. He explained, “I like to be tired…if I’m not doing something or if I don’t have a big accomplishment that I’m working towards, I don’t feel like I am fulfilling my everything.” In the free time he does have, Baker loves to play piano, especially the songs “City of Stars” from La La Land and “Anthony Song” by Billy Joel, which he will be performing in an upcoming recital. He also plays lots of video games with a focus on Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. He has an extensive collection of vinyl records, and he was able to acquire the original pressing of Thriller by Michael Jackson from his grandma. Once out of high school, Baker is planning to study political science, with a minor or double major in psychology. “I’m not studying political science with the intention of becoming a senator, house representative, or in the seek of power,” he said. “It’s more because I want to influence or help people who have that power make decisions that affect so many people.” He hopes to advocate for individuals that can’t actively stand up for themselves.
It’s evident that Baker’s drive to initiate large-scale change has shaped him into the ambitious person he is today. His aspirations have paved the way for countless other individuals to benefit from his selflessness. The future seems to glow a little bit brighter due to people like Baker who are chasing their dreams with a harmonious society in mind.
