Jacob Mandish Is Teen Of The Week

From the Capital-Gazette:

Jacob Mandish of Davidsonville dreams of watching the Blue Angels soar over the scoreboard at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on a sunny day in May, five years from now. That year's Naval Academy graduation ceremony is underway. He's in the seats placed on the turf, surrounded by fellow midshipmen from the Class of 2021.

It's more than a hazy daydream. Later this summer on July 26, Jacob, 18, a senior at the Severn School, will arrive at the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Rhode Island for a year of orientation and academics before being inducted, in 2017, into the Naval Academy Class of 2021.

He was recruited by Navy during his junior year at Severn for his prowess at lacrosse. He earned All-County honors for lacrosse that season.

Jacob's pretty good at football, too. This year, he was the leading scorer of the Admirals football team and was team MVP. He is also a member of the National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society.

Chris Kirchenheiter, football coach at Severn, considers the teen a gifted athlete with the size, speed and ability to be a Division I recruit in both sports.

"Jacob was a difference maker and leader for our football team this year," Kirchenheiter said. "We turned to him in pressure situations and he never failed to come up with a clutch catch or big play."

Jacob played varsity lacrosse for four years and football, three years. The Davidsonville resident will have earned 10 varsity letters when he graduates.

His father John Mandish, the district manager for the Washington Post, coaches the Davidsonville Gators football team and is its past football commissioner and the 2013 recipient of the Vince DePasquale Service to Anne Arundel County Youth Football Award.

Following in his father's cleats, Jacob has been an assistant Gator football coach the past two seasons.

"His ability to balance playing three sports, excelling in the classroom, being active in his church, working a part-time job and contributing countless hours of community service speaks volumes about what a focused, driven and hard working young man he is," the coach said. "He is an amazing leader and role model for his Severn School peers."

Kirchenheiter said Jacob's his true gift is his passion for service to others.

"It is no surprise that he would continue with his passion for service by heading to the Naval Academy to serve our country," he said.

His freshman year at Severn, Jacob was looking for something new. He revived a moribund Key Club which had a handful of members and renamed it the Severn Service Society. It now has over 50 members which plan food drives during Spirit Week and other projects for local charities like SPAN (Serving People Across Neighborhoods).

Usually, the teens collect about 4,000 cans; this year they collected 10,034 cans. Jacob organized and coordinated a dodge ball tournament that raised $1,001 for the B+ Foundation, an organization that helps fund children's cancer research. Over 400 coats were gathered and donated to Call for Coats, 130 backpacks assembled for Linda's Legacy.

Though Severn upper school students are expected to complete 10 hours of community service annually, Jacob has completed over 314 hours this academic year.

According to Beatrice Fuller, the Upper School head, Jacob, one of Severn School's designated Diplomats, has inspired the entire upper school to live up to the portion of its mission statement that asks that students "develop a lasting desire to serve."

"He leads by example and by encouragement in his commitment to service to others," Fuller said.

In an unusual move for an athlete, Jacob decided to pursue an AP Studio Art Portfolio this year. According to 3D Arts instructor Kourtney Stone, he tackled that goal "with unflagging persistence. As a direct result, he has grown leaps and bounds in his artistic skills and behaviors."

While a member of Riva Trace Baptist Church, Jacob participated in a two-week mission trip to the Dominican Republic. It was an experience he called eye opening.

"It expanded my horizons by being able to reach out to people through service and my faith," he said. He also spent a week on a mission project in Chicago.

Jacob has been mentored since 11th grade by Michael Manning, and has known the Manning family since 4th grade. Manning said Jacob is refreshingly genuine and strives to follow his convictions.

"He doesn't cave to peer pressure to conform. I think he's very willing to listen, open to suggestion and open-minded," Manning said.

Jacob said, "My brothers and my parents are my world. I couldn't do it without them. My brothers look up to me, and I hope I can be there every day for them as they are for me."

Mary Mandish, his mother, works for Chesapeake Medical Imaging in its Human Resources Department. Jacob is the oldest of four brothers. Joel, 16, is a Severn School sophomore; John, 14, attends eighth grade at Central Middle; and Jack, 13, is a Central Middle seventh grader.

With his family, Jacob enjoys the "time outs" they spend at their 135-year old cabin in Upstate New York in North Bangor. Past the Adirondacks, it is a great trout fishing spot. Best of all, it is a two-hour drive to the Lake Placid Olympic center where the Herb Brooks hockey arena is located. Jacob, an avid Washington Capitals ice hockey fan, relishes watching an occasional game at the arena.

Back in this area, he's had the opportunity to shadow the team's equipment manager for the Capitals and met all the players at their practice facility at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington.

To really relax, Jacob loves Bikram Yoga or Hot Yoga. It's his way to keep his body in shape, chill out and cope with good times and bad.

He considers himself truly blessed to have been accepted for the Naval Academy's Class of 2021. "I am honored to serve my country."

Jacob said, "My brothers and my parents are my world. I couldn't do it without them. My brothers look up to me, and I hope I can be there every day for them as they are for me."