Shenandoah high school student skipping ahead to success

SHENADOAH, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A Shenandoah Valley High School Senior is one busy teen with a list of impressive accomplishments, including skipping his junior year in school to become a senior this year.

Cheerleading, honors student, theater, band, and color guard are just some of the activities Jacob Coolbaugh is involved in. His most recent accomplishment was a project that honored veterans at Shenandoah Valley High School.

“Memorial for our school over by the gymnasium I, like, help repaint that,” Jacob said.

Jacob’s teachers say they are proud of the person he’s become and hope that the other students he leaves behind will walk in his footsteps.

“When I wanted to implement the National Arts Honor Society, he was the first student I thought of he is a leader he’s creative. He’s always stepping up to do anything anybody needs and I think that the younger kids look up to him,” said Shenandoah Valley High School art teacher Jennifer Zemek.

“I’m the president of the National Arts Honor Society so I, like, try and help out as much as I can and do as much as I can with either painting or figuring out something that we could do in our community,” Jacob explained.

He is very proud to be a member of the cheerleading squad.

“I was the only male cheerleader on my cheerleading team, so that’s been like a lot and so that was like an adjustment to, to, like, get used to,” Jacob added.

Although Jacob is 17, he will be graduating this spring a year early. He skipped his junior year and is a senior this year. Just another one of his many accomplishments.

“I plan on going to Lycoming College for a musical theater and a theater education degree,” Jacob continued.

Jacob hopes to show other students that you can do it all and not have to sacrifice any of your interests.

“I would say just to, like, fight for your dreams and just like continue to work hard no matter the cost of like how much free time you have as long as you, like, balance your average day life with your activities you’ll be able to accomplish what you want to accomplish,” said Jacob.

Jacob helped his art teacher refurbish a breaker boy statue in downtown Shenandoah.

Here’s to you, Jacob!

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