For sophomore Jackson Sprando, acting has always been a part of his identity.
“My parents always say, ‘he’s always been our little actor,’” Sprando said. “I’ve always been very comedic.”
Pursuing his love and passion for the performing arts, he participates in La Salle’s theater program, an extracurricular that has allowed him to realize how much he values drama. His experience with getting involved in theater as a freshman and continuing it this year has helped him grow by becoming more confident and determined in his work and overall making more friends, Sprando explained.
“Theater is a dedicated time to learn confidence in yourself, but also to make more friends and connect with more people, which is such a valuable thing in my life,” he said.
Most recently, Sprando was cast as Slightly in the fall theater production “Lost Girl,” which opens on Friday, Nov. 1, a part he is excited about despite knowing the dedication and hard work that will be required to portray this character to the best of his ability.
In addition to Sprando’s passion for theater, he expressed how taking Spanish I, taught by Spanish teacher Ms. Amy Gantt, has been important to him over the last year as well.
“Ms. Gantt had the most impact on me,” Sprando said. “That’s why I love Spanish. I don’t think without Ms. Gantt I would love Spanish as much as I do now. I can really thank her for that… I’m really grateful that she started that journey in my life.”
Sprando is even thinking about taking another class of Spanish over the summer, along with throughout the remainder of his high school career.
Outside of the states, Sprando’s family has roots in Italy, with some of his extended family members living across the globe in Sicily. “Our last name was originally Sperandeo not Sprando,” he said.
His favorite food doesn’t fall too far from the tree of Italian cuisine. Sprando explained that what makes food special to him is when it comes from a family member.
“You can you can taste the actions and the thoughts they put into it,” he said. “It’s just the feeling of ‘someone worked hard for this,’ and it’s delicious.”
In Sprando’s life, the person he looks up to isn’t a celebrity or even a school peer or friend but a family member very close to him: his dad.
“My role model would for sure be my dad. He is the best dad I could ever have. He is caring, he is hard working, he is kind, he is loving. He is just everything good on this earth in one guy, and I just look up to him because he’s such a great guy,” Sprando said. “I want to be like him.”
This year, Sprando is taking a rigorous course load, including classes such as Honors Geometry and Honors Chemistry. Along with the dedicated time and effort that this schedule will require of him, Sprando expressed that he expects his sophomore year to be more about self-discovery and finding his place in the world.
Sprando isn’t set on what he wants to be, but in the future he is considering a career focused on helping others along with the possibility of veterinary school, expressing how impacting other people’s lives and making them smile is fulfilling for him.
“I love to make people laugh because it makes me happy, and I love seeing others happy,” Sprando said.
In regards to life after high school, Sprando hopes to attend Oregon State University. While he knows that figuring out what he wants to pursue in the future isn’t set in stone, he is sure of one thing.
“I’d like La Salle to know that Jackson Sprando is here and he’s here to live life,” he said.
