Meet Jacob! RASKC bestows Exceptional Youth recognition to Jacob Driscoll with tremendous pleasure. He and his mom have been volunteering on regular shifts on our Tukwila Petco Cat-Care Team since 2015. Jacob and Carrie have trained many new volunteers during the past several years.

A resident of Des Moines, Jacob is a senior at Mount Rainier High School. He also participates in the Running Start program at Highline College. When he graduates this spring, Jacob will have earned both a high-school diploma and an associate’s degree in biology. He has been accepted at Washington State University. Jacob aspires to become a veterinarian.

“My family has four dogs- two Standard Poodles- Bailey and Logan,” said Jacob. “And we have two older dogs Riley, a mini-poodle mix, and Parker, who’s a Havanese/ Shih Tzu mix.

“What’s most important to me is my family- both my immediate and extended. We’re open, loving, and caring. It’s nice to have a lot of people to rely on and engage with. I am the oldest of my siblings- five of whom are foster kids, including two five- year-olds and a three-year-old. We have another foster brother who comes back for visits every month.”

Children are a big part of Jacob’s life. “For the past few years, I have been working in the Team Read program. It’s a really cool program. High school students tutor kids in second, third, and fourth grades to help with their reading, fluency, and comprehension. My best moments there are when I can see the kid ‘click’ when they get it with a bright smile.

“I like to read too. One of my favorite authors is Rick Riordan, who wrote the Pearcy Jackson series.

“Some of my favorite memories from volunteering from RASKC: About three years ago we had a kitten at Tukwila Petco. She was so tiny and snuggled right up to me. She was so friendly, social, and chill with us. I also really like interacting with people at the store who are adopting a cat. It’s fun to pack the box and see the cat off to a good home. And I really like it when we come together, and I can meet other volunteers who are part of the RASKC community.” We are so glad that you are a part of the RASKC community, Jacob!