Stepping into the shoes of visionary leaders isn’t easy. Indeed, my six years at the helm of Saturday Academy has not diminished my awe of my predecessors and my fear of not living up to what they created. This was a bittersweet week. I attended the memorial service of Lee Jackson. Jackie Jackson was the visionary who started Saturday Academy with Gail Whitney 35 years ago. Lee was her husband. Lee and his children, Karen, Phil and Jennifer have continuously supported Saturday Academy and for so many years long after Jackie was no longer with us. I assumed this was because they loved her so much. At the memorial that was abundantly clear. But it was more than that. Having learned more about Lee and the family this week I realized that the ideals that underlie Saturday Academy were also the fabric of their family. Jackie and Lee were passionate about learning and education. Jackie’s desire to see that all kids had their sparks of curiosity satisfied was clear. But the thread that appeared and reappeared in the stories of Lee and the family’s early life was Lee’s belief that you only learned if you tried it. Even if you didn’t like the sport or the subject, he wanted his kids to give it a try – hands on, be it a pair of skis, or a catcher’s mitt or math. We send our condolences and our thanks to the Jacksons for giving Portland this amazing organization so that all kids have a chance to be inspired.