Brandon West Memorial Scholarship

Jackson Rankin

I’m incredibly grateful for my four years at Bellevue High School and for all the people who made it such an important part of my life. Coming into high school wasn’t always easy for me, especially adjusting to the classroom and figuring out how I learned best. I was fortunate to have teachers, administrators and staff who believed in me, supported me, and helped me grow throughout those four years. Bellevue became a place where I always felt like people were in my corner, and that is something I’ll carry with me long after high school.

Baseball has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. At Bellevue, I was fortunate to play four years of varsity baseball, and the game has taught me a lot about working hard, handling adversity, being a good teammate and continuing to get better. This summer, I also had the opportunity to play for the Nanaimo NightOwls in British Columbia. What stood out to me there was how much the community embraced our team. Families opened their homes to players from out of town, people volunteered their time, and kids throughout the community were excited to be around the game. I had the chance to help with a baseball camp for local kids, and the whole experience reminded me how much I enjoy connecting with people through baseball and how powerful a community can be when people show up for one another.

This fall, I’m excited to attend Seattle University, where I’ll continue playing baseball as a catcher. Playing college baseball has always been a dream of mine, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to keep pursuing it. I’m still figuring out what I want to study and where life will take me beyond baseball, but I know that being part of a community, building relationships, and finding ways to give back will continue to be important to me.

I’m very honored to receive the Brandon West Memorial Scholarship and grateful to the West family and the Bellevue Schools Foundation. I’m especially thankful to my family and to the teachers, administrators and staff at Bellevue High who supported me, challenged me and believed in me throughout my time there. They helped make Bellevue a place where I was able to grow, both as a student and as a person, and I hope I can carry that same sense of support and community with me into whatever comes next.