Jacob Duclos

IHSAA Spirit of Sport Award Recipient

It would be hard to find a student who loves Lewiston High School more than Jacob, who graduates Saturday at the Lewis-Clark State College Activity Center. But being at the center of high school activities is not new for Jacob. His efforts as manager for LHS football, basketball and baseball teams recently earned him the Idaho High School Activities Association Spirit of Sport award. "Jacob is a beloved member of the Lewiston Bengal student body," LHS Principal Kevin Driskill wrote when making the nomination. "Jacob's desire to be involved in all aspects of LHS student life is unsurpassed." The award will be presented at the association's hall of fame banquet this August in Boise. "It's a big deal," Driskill said. "No one from our region has ever won it before." School - from Whitman Elementary to Jenifer Junior High to LHS - has always been fun because of good friends, Jacob said. His classmates indeed are a big reason his school experience has been so positive, said his mother, Connie Duclos. "It's an amazing class," she said, of the 2017 graduates. His favorite high school subject, Jacob said, was weight-lifting with "Coach (Shawn) Nilsson." The school's coaching staff and student athletes formed a social circle for Jacob he is in no hurry to leave. "It's been a very wonderful experience that he doesn't want to give up," Connie said. But the reigning homecoming king has a lot to look forward to post graduation - such as doting on his six nieces. "He's Big Uncle Jake," Connie said. And Jacob has another family at All Saints Catholic Church, where he has been an altar server since third grade. He loves to travel, visiting destinations as far away as Costa Rica and Hawaii over the past couple of years with his family. Closer to home, Jacob is learning the ropes at KC's Burgers in the Lewiston Orchards. "I am busing tables," he said. Jacob started washing dishes there for owner Kathy Carter last year, explained his father, Brennan Duclos. Now, he's a familiar face to "pretty much everybody, because he doesn't know any strangers," Connie said. It's a good fit, Jacob said, as his favorite food is hamburgers, closely followed by fish and chips - and cheesy fries with bacon. Jacob, who has Down syndrome, has applied for a program called Students and Professionals Accessing Resources in the Community, or SPARC, which helps students with disabilities transition to life after high school. If he participates in SPARC, he'll spend time on the Lewis-Clark State College campus next school year, learning life skills. Another post-high school pastime Jacob might pursue is Special Olympics. He was too busy to participate this school year, but he has won regional and state medals for powerlifting, and he competed in golf, basketball and bowling as well. He won't be managing LHS teams when school starts in the fall, but he'll still be cheering them on. "I know Jacob will come back and watch games, because he's really enjoyed that," Connie said. He's also looking forward to University of Idaho football, since his good friend Colton Richardson - a record-setting LHS quarterback - has signed to play there. "Jacob can't wait to watch him," Connie said