A few weeks ago, Jesuit hosted its very first official car meet, which brought some of the DFW area’s most beautiful and jaw-dropping automobiles right outside of Jesuit’s very own Dove training facility. At the center of this incredible event was one student, sophomore and car fanatic Jack Simons. I recently had the opportunity to interview Jack, not only about the car meet, but also about his passion for photography and for the car community. But first, a short introduction.
Although he is only 16, Jack has expressed his love for photography and cars through his photography account on Instagram and through planning and hosting car meets and photoshoots all across the DFW area. Jack’s dream car is a Mazda RX-7. In his professional opinion, he believes the Nissan Juke is the worst car ever manufactured. Now that we have introduced our photographer and car fanatic, on to the interview.
Introduction to Cars and Photography
Jack’s love for cars takes root in a place that I’m sure many people could relate to, his father. In college, Jack’s father bought his first sports car and has kept and maintained it ever since. As Jack grew up, his father’s love for cars rubbed off onto him. Now Jack emulates his dad through his own car, a 2019 Honda Civic Type R that he cherishes. While his love for cars came quite naturally, Jack’s introduction into photography was slightly less seamless.
Jack began his photography journey back in middle school. During the baseball season, he suffered an injury and was no longer able to play. Still wanting to be involved in the team, Jack picked up a camera and became the team’s photographer. This eventually led him into developing a fondness for photography.
With both a lifelong passion for cars and a newfound enthusiasm towards photography, Jack saw an opportunity and…
“Merged both, and that’s how it all started”
Birth of the Jesuit Car Meet
The idea for a car meet hosted by Jesuit initially started off as a joke rather than an actual idea. Jack tells us that during a photoshoot with current senior Rylan Archer and his Mustang GT, the idea of hosting a car meet with Jesuit’s Car Club was brought up. Although initially doubtful, Jack, having hosted meets in the past, began talking with the Car Club about actually making the event happen. To his surprise, Jack and the Car Club were given the green light to host the meet, thus beginning the process of actually planning the event.
When asked about the actual process of planning and hosting a car meet, Jack says the process is relatively simple, saying:
“It’s all about connections.”
Jack is thankful for all the connections that he has developed in the car community over the years, as it made the process of planning the meet relatively smooth. Additionally, he’s beyond grateful that the event went so well. Due to the success of the car meet, Jack hopes to continue hosting car meets with Jesuit and eventually create a tradition among the Car Club that will continue after he graduates.
What Do You Love About the Car Community?
Jack has many things he feels are great about the car community, but what stands out to him the most is the opportunities that arise through connections, something that Jack has been able to experience firsthand.
Recently, Jack was invited to tour a shop that houses and services race cars. On receiving the invitation, Jack brought the Car Club along, sharing an amazing opportunity with others. Experiences like this are what Jack loves so much about the car community.
How Do Jesuit’s Values Mix with This?
“if I get the opportunity… i’m going to bring someone.”
Similar to what Jack said about what he loves about the community, Jack sees Jesuit values through sharing his gifts with others. For him, it’s more than simply photographing and riding in awesome cars. It’s about sharing an opportunity with those that didn’t receive it. This idea is deeply rooted in our Jesuit values, as it’s a selfless way in which we can emulate Christ’s love for others.
Jack is extremely thankful for everyone who made the car meet possible, more specifically Rylan Archer and the entire Jesuit Car Club. Additionally, Jack hopes to continue to share the opportunities he has with his Jesuit brothers and his community. In conclusion, Jack is an incredibly unique member of our Jesuit community and is sure to continue to live up to Jesuit’s values as he continues his time at Jesuit.
Sources
Link to Jack Simons’s Instagram account: Jack Simons Official Photography Account
