In his play titled “Twelfth Night,” William Shakespeare wrote, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Jakin Ford was born into and exudes greatness, and she continually works to be even greater. The Sand Creek High School sophomore is a force to be reckoned with in and out of the classroom. Being an honor roll student who currently holds an outstanding 3.9 GPA only begins to list Jakin’s accomplishments. She is also a creator of an e-commerce store, a public speaker, a YouTuber, and a music artist.
 

Jakin began public speaking at age four. Her oratorical skills have opened doors for her to speak at multiple schools and conferences (including the AAYLC). While attending Skyview Middle School, she volunteered as a speaker for the school’s National Junior Honor Society chapter. She was a guest presenter for Dr. Ford’s Global Societies online college course at Delaware State University, and she co-hosts the weekly SgtFordcademy LIVE! show with her father, Brian Ford, on Instagram.
 

This multi-talented artist lists graphic design as her favorite school subject. She finds this expression of creativity to be therapeutic. Jakin’s love of art also extends to music. She plays three instruments—trombone, piano, and acoustic guitar. Music lovers can listen to her beautiful compositions (which include songs from her 2021 Christmas album) on her YouTube channel—It’sJakinRecords.
 

When not tending to her store, co-hosting a show, making music, public speaking, participating in Student Council, serving on the Culture and Climate Advisory Board, or kicking a soccer ball down a field, Jakin makes time to serve those in our community. She made holiday cards for first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic, helped to feed the cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy, and created support groups to help students address any mental health issues. Given these philanthropic achievements, it is not surprising that she was the recipient of Sand Creek High School’s Freshman of the Year and Buckley Space Force Base’s Youth Volunteer awards.
 

Jakin believes it is important to have multiple mentors that can speak to the different areas of her life. She states that each of her mentors has “different skills and contributions.” We can certainly see how operating with this amount of wisdom will help her reach her goals of graduating a millionaire, expanding her entrepreneurial footprint, and becoming a trillionaire. Perhaps we will soon see her on the cover of Black Business Enterprise. Until then, we look forward to seeing her at the 2023 AAYLC!