Emily Abbatacola

News Writing & Reporting

Professor Willis

March 27, 2020

Personality Profile

Before he was named an exceptional junior high teacher and basketball coach, received

his masters in education and administration, married the love of his life and started a fairly large

family, Jake Carson had a different reputation. Since the beginning of his life, Carson was

deemed “the quiet one.”

The eldest of four children, Carson was quite reserved compared to his other siblings. His

younger brother closest in age to him was on the complete other side of the spectrum- obnoxious,

extroverted, class clown. Growing up alongside his inverse sibling, Carson was always in the

shadows.

“I was talented at a lot of things, but no one ever really saw those sides of me until I grew

up. I preferred to just stay out of the spotlight,” Carson said. Graduating in the top 5 of his almost

400 student senior class and excelling in baseball and basketball never gave him the recognition

he deserved because of his shy personality. “But I was okay with that,” he stated. “I didn’t need

an applause from other people to know I had achieved things. It was just interesting to see how

much more recognition extroverts receive than introverts, despite their accomplishments,” he

continued.

The man who now works tirelessly to serve and encourage younger children to succeed

and raise up his family for the Lord finally came alive when he was able to find his purpose.
“After searching for so long, I one day realized what I was meant to do in this life-serve others. I

find that I am filled with so much energy and confidence when I am doing things God created me

to do.”

Carson felt insignificant much of his life. He was often overshadowed by his much louder

and vivacious younger siblings. He was okay hiding behind the spotlight, but he said he had

never felt so much energy and enthusiasm then when he figured out his purpose. “People that

know me from when I was younger often comment about how much I have ‘come alive,’ but

those who meet me now label me as a pretty friendly and ongoing person-something I never

thought I could be.”

Although he seems to have transformed into a whole new person, Carson hasn’t forgotten

about his old self. “I think about who I used to be a lot, and how I felt a majority of the time. I

use those feelings to help the kids I work with now.” Carson says he makes sure to acknowledge

and pursue quieter kids. “People often overlook the ones who don’t speak up. They think that

just because they don’t say anything, that means they don’t have anything to say.” Using his own

experience, he knows that the more distant children just need a push- someone to want them to

speak up and to wait patiently for them to open up. “Watching a child break out of their shell and

find something that really lights them up is the reason I am a teacher and love to work with

kids.”

“I thought I was okay with being out of the spotlight. I thought I didn’t like the attention.

But I never knew what I was missing. I never knew what it felt like to be recognized for your

accomplishments. I never knew what it felt like to let all my jumbled up thoughts out of my

head. Finding my passion gave me so much life, and I want to help other kids do so as well.”
 Carson didn’t just wake up one day and go from an introvert to an extrovert. In fact, he

still enjoys his time alone, and he doesn’t like the focus to be all on him. But what has changed is

his desire to share things with the world now, rather than keeping them bottled up inside of him.

“I believe we are all here to add something to this world. We all have something to bring to the

table, and it feels so good too. I love being a part of something much bigger than me, and I think

every single person, whether or not they know it, has a desire for human connection.”

Connection to the world is what Carson obtained when he found his purpose. He

discovered something that he wanted to share. “There is nothing wrong with being an introvert or

an extrovert. But every person should feel as though what they have to offer is important enough

to be shared.”