Meet the ParkStar: Reuben Jacobson
(Posted June 2, 2008)
After gaining nearly 44 percent of more than 8,000 votes, Reuben Jacobson won our first ever ParkStar Search competition. The 15-year-old freshman from Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, Md., will work on The Parks Show — a monthly television program on County Cable Montgomery — throughout the summer and will host two episodes. Jacobson will also give up-to-the-minute details about his experiences as the inaugural ParkStar on the ParkStar Place blog.
We talked with Jacobson before his tenure began. In short, he seemed elated but a little apprehensive about his forthcoming hosting responsibilities. Nevertheless, he has shared his strong interest in television production. He also told us his favorite park activity and what he wants other teens to know about Montgomery County parks. Ladies and gentlemen, here’s Reuben Jacobson, the first ParkStar!
What was your initial reaction when you received news that you won the ParkStar Search contest?
Reuben Jacobson: I was really, really excited. I was also a little nervous, because I’ve never done something like this. All of my friends will probably be watching me on TV. But mainly, I was just really excited.
What interested you in the contest? Was it the broadcasting aspect, the parks or both?
Jacobson: I’ve been very interested in television production. Basically it was the television production that interested me – well, kind of both, the TV production and the parks. But I really wanted to see what it was like producing a TV show.
How did you hear about the contest?
Jacobson: I read about it in the Gazette newspaper.
Do you have any career aspirations with working in broadcast journalism as a host or a producer? Or do you know yet?
Jacobson: No. I don’t know anything about pursuing a career in that yet.
Do you have a favorite Montgomery County park? If so, which one and why?
Jacobson: I really don’t have a favorite one. But I really do like Cabin John Park, because I’m on the cross-country running team at my school, and that’s where our course is, which includes trails and everything. It’s really nice with all the networks of paths; it’s beautiful and is really fun to go there. When I was little, I used to go to Cabin John’s park all the time.
So briefly tell us some of the exciting things that you’ll be doing with Montgomery County Parks?
Jacobson: I look forward to taping some interviews and doing voiceovers, which are always fun to do. Stand ups are also great.
What do you hope to gain personally and educationally from working with Montgomery County Parks?
Jacobson: Personally, I hope to get a better idea about Montgomery County Parks – where they all are and how they can be used. That’ll give me an idea about which other parks to go to if I want to go running. Educationally, it will be a great experience to see how television production is run.
If you had to pinpoint one singular goal you want to accomplish while working with Montgomery County Parks, what would it be?
Jacobson: I think that parks are under-utilized. People really don’t know that there are so many parks available to them. So I hope that I can promote [the usage] of parks to teenagers like me and other young people in taking care of the parks and just going to parks. I want people to realize that there is so much at their hands that they haven’t used.
