Born and raised in Oregon, sophomore Jack London previously attended St. John the Baptist for both elementary and middle school — an experience he speaks of fondly.

At St. John the Baptist, London focused on not getting caught up in the future. He recalled his peers aching for their middle school experience to be over, for high school to begin already. “Just enjoy it,” London said.

Growing up in the Milwaukie and Happy Valley area his whole life, London has always been surrounded by family, and appreciates the closeness, not just in miles but in his relationships with them. 

Family dinners are a staple in the London house, and they usually gather at his grandfather’s to socialize and celebrate family birthdays. The birthday person gets to decide the meal they’ll be sharing together, and when it’s his day to decide, London asks his grandma for chili con carne. 

Another prominent family tradition in his household is a summer trip up to Sunriver with his mom’s side. London recalls late-night summer bike rides through the city with his younger sister and brother as his favorite memory with them. 

At an early age, London fell in love with sports after his dad introduced him to basketball. He’s played almost every sport under the sun — including soccer, baseball, and flag football — but basketball is the one that stuck. He’s been playing for around ten years now and keeps the momentum going year-round, playing club basketball when it’s not in season here at La Salle. 

Academically, London finds his rhythm in the classes that challenge his critical thinking. His favorite subjects this year so far are Honors Algebra II/ Trig, where he enjoys the puzzle-solving nature of math under the guidance of math teacher Ms. Rose Adkisson. His other favorite class is Honors English II with English teacher Mr. Greg Larson, a class he’s particularly excited about despite its tough reputation. 

“I want to learn a lot, which doesn’t necessarily mean having the best grades,” London said.

When winding down from the school day, London relaxes with reading, baking, cooking, and spending time in nature, Frank Sinatra being the usual soundtrack to these activities. 

London often describes himself as an old soul. He enjoys the simple pleasures of the day, like crisp autumn air and the satisfaction of a well-cooked meal. For him, it’s about creating an atmosphere: putting on jazz or oldies, sinking into a book — his favorite being the Scythe trilogy — and letting the world slow down for a bit.

That old soul mentality has been with London since he was a kid. “I definitely used my imagination a lot,” London said. “I think that helped me grow a lot actually, like mentally. It’s good to be bored.”

This year, London feels more connected to his faith than ever, listening to a lot more Christian rap as a way to deepen this connection. Although he is a confirmed Catholic, London finds himself leaning more into Christian beliefs while still embracing his Catholic roots. Faith is a guiding force for him, shaping his actions and outlooks on life. 

London described the growth in his faith as his biggest accomplishment. “That’s shaped how I act and how I think in a very positive way,” he said. It’s a source of strength that has helped him through difficult times. 

When thinking about the hardships in his life, he said that “God definitely made that happen for a reason.” With more maturity now, he says he can “sit back and realize ‘I’m really grateful for all this stuff.’” 

Looking forward, London dreams of exploring new places by taking a road trip across the country, while acknowledging that he will always want to come back home. 

“I might move away for college, but in the end, I want to live around my family,” he said. And if not, possibly find some “old rickety shack somewhere else,” he said — a nod to his love for the simple and the meaningful.

As London steps into his sophomore year, he carries with him the lessons he’s learned and the growth he’s experienced over the past year.  His biggest advice to his younger self would be simple: “Everything happens for a reason,” a reminder to trust in the process and stay anchored in his faith. 

This past year has been one of transformation for London. Beyond staying on top of his schoolwork, he hopes to continue strengthening his values and reaching out to others, especially the new freshmen, to make sure everyone feels welcome. With his faith as his foundation, London is ready to embrace the year ahead, confident that each experience will bring new growth and purpose.