Writing Assignment #1

PUR3463

Nick Spagnuolo

Jack Knox wasn’t always the life of the party.

Born Sept. 17, 2000 in St. Petersburg, Florida, Jack was raised by loving and caring Christian parents, Paul and Dee. He and his two older brothers, Ben, 22, and Will, 20, did everything together. They all went to Northside Christian school from kindergarten until high school graduation. The trio of brothers ran track together and Jack and Ben still hold active race records in their respective classes.

One by one the brothers graduated from high school, and one by one they were accepted into the University of Florida. Ben is dual majoring in aerospace and mechanical engineering, Will is pre-med and Jack is studying business administration.

Jack is now a student member of the University Athletic Association and plays a big part in his fraternity. But Jack Knox wasn’t always the life of the party.

Before Jack broke out of his cocoon and developed into the successful social butterfly he is today, he said he was always very shy and felt like he was always in his older brothers’ shadows.

Jack said his entire outlook on life changed after he attended a summer camp when he was in sixth grade. His parents wanted him to do something without his brother at his side. Jack didn’t want to go, but his parents knew it was for the best.

The next week changed his life forever.

“I was the fastest kid at the camp, and I always won the competitions. But it is so more than that. I really found myself at that camp. I learned I could be my own person and I didn’t need to have my older brothers with me…. I wouldn’t say I was stepping out from their shadow, but I just realized I could be my own person and I didn’t need them at my side. I could go out and make friends on my own. It didn’t always have to be us three doing everything together and wearing matching clothes.”

Jack ended up finding lifelong friends at that camp. He recalls his best friend from the camp not being another camper, but a camp counselor.

“Ryan, one of my counselors, always used to mess with me, but I learned to mess with him back and now we just have a great friendship. He taught me it doesn’t really matter your age. It matters how you act and how you carry yourself. He also taught me to fight back. Once I finally started fighting back, he gained respect for me and it has been a great friendship ever since.”

Jack went back to that camp every summer until he graduated high school and now, he volunteers there during his summers. Ryan is no longer a counselor at the camp, but Jack emulates his old counselors’ persona, hoping to turn another shy boy into the life of the party.