A math phenom, a celebrated artist, a varsity swimmer and water polo player, a Latin and Greek scholar, a Harvard Book Prize winner—what an amazing group of teens, right? Wrong. That list describes just one of our 2024 Teens to Watch. Andrew Tu, the teen in question (the question being: How on earth?), might feel special for the mention here, but honestly, all of these ten superstars are a multihyphenates of mind-boggling proportions. And not only do they do it all, they do it all with heart.
They build computers from scratch, start robotics clubs for younger kids and help the elderly with tech tasks. They go to Juilliard on weekends, break Guinness Book records and raise tens of thousands of dollars for children in need. They conduct sophisticated scientific research with college professors, publish in scholarly journals and break down barriers in sports.
In short, they give us hope. Read on to be reassured that the future of our community and the planet is in good hands.
RYAN JAKUBOWSKI
King School
A junior at King School, Ryan Jakubowski has been on the fast-track to success from a very young age. In 2020, Ryan was just 12 years old when he launched his YouTube channel, “Understand Politics,” on which he shares his non-partisan analysis of American elections. “I’ve always had an interest in numbers and geography,” says Ryan. “When I was little, I used to read atlases and look at random statistics of different countries. Elections and politics in this country combine those two elements.”
Ryan has achieved remarkable accuracy, predicting Biden’s close lead more precisely than many experts. He also predicted the 2022 House seat count within five seats and called nearly all Senate races correctly. While most pundits count on “polls and conventional wisdom,” Ryan takes a different approach. “I write down the arguments for both sides and make both cases to myself,” he says. “By the end, I know which case is stronger.”
Ryan’s nearly 8,000 subscribers are getting something different than the “broad, simplistic” coverage on the news; “I try to go as in depth as possible,” he says. The channel, with 1.8 million views, has been generating revenue for over three years; Ryan donates 10 percent to charity.
Ryan also has a passion for writing. He began publishing articles on Substack in 2021, delving into key races, analyzing national political trends and exploring current events. He just completed the first draft of a book, a non-partisan look at the issue of the suburbs controlling the American electorate (working title: Are the Suburbs Going to Cost Republicans? A Post-2016 Tale of American Politics). He volunteered on state senator candidate Trevor Crow’s campaign in the summer of 2022 and aspires to forge a career that will empower voters across the country and help perfect the democratic system.
Not surprisingly, Ryan has been elected president of the King School Debate Team after only a year of experience. “Beating a really good team at our first competition last year really sparked my love of the activity,” says Ryan, who went on to win a tournament in February and placed tenth overall at state finals. He has participated in Model UN since freshman year and took law and journalism courses at Boston University last summer and a 20th-century social movements program at Brown the summer before.
Ryan has also been a member of King’s JV basketball team for the past two years.
Q&A
WHAT IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE YOU HAVE OVERCOME?
I started struggling with a stutter in elementary school. It was embarrassing, especially when I had to do class presentations. I wouldn’t be able to get the words off my tongue. I dealt with that and went to speech therapy in fifth grade. It actually turned into a positive for me. It was one of the reasons my parents let me start my YouTube channel—to help with my stutter. It also led me to debate. This year it has gotten even better, because I have to do speeches and debates at a fast pace. These activities have altered my life in a very positive way. [Note: Ryan’s interview offered zero hint of a stutter.]
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR FRESHMAN SELF?
I moved to Connecticut from California in the summer of 2022. The first day going to school at King was difficult. I missed my friends. I’d tell myself, “It’s going to be OK.” I wish I was more outgoing freshman year. I’d tell myself to do more things: join debate, join more clubs, write for the school newspaper.
which TEACHER HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU?
Dr. Gigante, my English teacher. She has helped me become a better writer. When my freshman teacher recommended me for the honors level, I was nervous. She pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me a better writer. Dr. Gigante is not only a really entertaining, engaging teacher but also a really nice person.
WORDS TO LIVE BY?
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” —Abraham Lincoln