When the going gets tough, sometimes the tough need help to get going. When the Governors Club banquet crew resets after an event, for example, the workers know whom to count on for that extra bit of motivation – Pittsboro’s own Jake Leighton, a 2024 recipient of a grant from the Step Forward Scholarship Fund.
Jake, who just finished his freshman year at UNC-Wilmington, claims music as one of his several passions, with Elvis, the Beatles, Elton John and Queen his favorite, but not exclusive, artists. “The music I play during our banquet resets is from playlists including music from the ‘60s to today,” said Jake, the older of two siblings, who played the saxophone in middle school.
Jake started working at Governors Club in March 2024. “My co-workers were welcoming, and I have learned so much about food and beverage operations,” he said. Although his mother, Michele, is the club’s Director of Catering & Events, Jake’s interests took him down other roads.
One interest was basketball. Jake played four years at Northwood High, twice going to the 3A state championship game. His jersey was #33, the same as his favorite player on his favorite NBA team. That player was Celtics legend Larry Bird, credited with saying, “When you think you have done enough, do a little more, because someone out there is working harder than you.”
It was an echo of advice Jake had long heard from his father, A.J., a captain at a local fire department. “My dad shared with me a Navy SEAL quote: ‘You don’t rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training,’” Jake said. “My dad would sometimes sub in ‘preparation’ instead of ‘training.’ This is how I take on challenges or life in general: Prepare early, work hard, be timely, and the results will follow.”
That preparation sometimes can be misinterpreted, his mother said. “Jake may initially seem introverted. He takes time to learn and process, and then opens up, taking initiative and leading.” She noted that Jake didn’t show interest in leadership outside of sports through his junior year of high school. “In his senior year, he found his voice with the underclassmen on the basketball court and the baseball field,” she said. “In his freshman year of college, he joined the Sigma Chi fraternity and has stepped up in key leadership roles. In his first year, he was voted ‘brother-at-large,’ facilitating communications between the Executive Board and the rest of the fraternity. “Next year, Jake is the social chair and has aspirations of being the president for his junior year. It's rewarding to watch him grow, lead and inspire others,” Michele said.
Those increased executive responsibilities and initiative have prepared Jake, 19, for his pre-law / criminal justice path at UNC-W.
“I changed what I wanted to do a lot as a kid,” Jake said. “It was the usual stuff – professional athlete, firefighter like my dad. As I got to high school, I found myself more interested in law and criminal justice.” He said he hasn’t decided which area of the law to focus on, but sees himself 10 years down the road as a newly minted lawyer. And in 25 years? “I hope to be healthy and happy. I will have a family and, through hard work, a successful career.”
For now, Jake said, he appreciates the SFSF thinking of him. “Receiving a scholarship has made it possible for me to attend college, and I am so grateful.”
Nancy Broaddus, president of the SFSF, said it was heartwarming when scholarship recipients return after their first year of college. “They’ve grown so much and often discover new passions and goals,” she said. “Jake Leighton is a perfect example—he’s thriving at UNC-Wilmington, stepping into leadership roles, and getting excited about a future in law. We’re proud of his journey and excited to see where it leads.
Jake, who just finished his freshman year at UNC-Wilmington, claims music as one of his several passions, with Elvis, the Beatles, Elton John and Queen his favorite, but not exclusive, artists. “The music I play during our banquet resets is from playlists including music from the ‘60s to today,” said Jake, the older of two siblings, who played the saxophone in middle school.
Jake started working at Governors Club in March 2024. “My co-workers were welcoming, and I have learned so much about food and beverage operations,” he said. Although his mother, Michele, is the club’s Director of Catering & Events, Jake’s interests took him down other roads.
One interest was basketball. Jake played four years at Northwood High, twice going to the 3A state championship game. His jersey was #33, the same as his favorite player on his favorite NBA team. That player was Celtics legend Larry Bird, credited with saying, “When you think you have done enough, do a little more, because someone out there is working harder than you.”
It was an echo of advice Jake had long heard from his father, A.J., a captain at a local fire department. “My dad shared with me a Navy SEAL quote: ‘You don’t rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training,’” Jake said. “My dad would sometimes sub in ‘preparation’ instead of ‘training.’ This is how I take on challenges or life in general: Prepare early, work hard, be timely, and the results will follow.”
That preparation sometimes can be misinterpreted, his mother said. “Jake may initially seem introverted. He takes time to learn and process, and then opens up, taking initiative and leading.” She noted that Jake didn’t show interest in leadership outside of sports through his junior year of high school. “In his senior year, he found his voice with the underclassmen on the basketball court and the baseball field,” she said. “In his freshman year of college, he joined the Sigma Chi fraternity and has stepped up in key leadership roles. In his first year, he was voted ‘brother-at-large,’ facilitating communications between the Executive Board and the rest of the fraternity. “Next year, Jake is the social chair and has aspirations of being the president for his junior year. It's rewarding to watch him grow, lead and inspire others,” Michele said.
Those increased executive responsibilities and initiative have prepared Jake, 19, for his pre-law / criminal justice path at UNC-W.
“I changed what I wanted to do a lot as a kid,” Jake said. “It was the usual stuff – professional athlete, firefighter like my dad. As I got to high school, I found myself more interested in law and criminal justice.” He said he hasn’t decided which area of the law to focus on, but sees himself 10 years down the road as a newly minted lawyer. And in 25 years? “I hope to be healthy and happy. I will have a family and, through hard work, a successful career.”
For now, Jake said, he appreciates the SFSF thinking of him. “Receiving a scholarship has made it possible for me to attend college, and I am so grateful.”
Nancy Broaddus, president of the SFSF, said it was heartwarming when scholarship recipients return after their first year of college. “They’ve grown so much and often discover new passions and goals,” she said. “Jake Leighton is a perfect example—he’s thriving at UNC-Wilmington, stepping into leadership roles, and getting excited about a future in law. We’re proud of his journey and excited to see where it leads.
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Step Forward Scholarship Fund, Inc.
P.O. Box 4631
Chapel Hill, NC 27515-4631
[email protected]
Step Forward Scholarship Fund, Inc. is a 501c3 organization. EIN #83-3175469