Meet the Candidates: Jacob Beers

Convention is right around the corner, which means it will be time to vote for PA DeMolay's Elected State Officers. This series will introduce you to each candidate as they prepare to run for office. They were all asked to provide a short biography and an answer to the three questions below.  

Greetings,

My name is Jake Beers and I am running for the office of Deputy State Master Councilor. I am a Past Master Councilor of Elizabethtown Chapter, having served from January to June of 2014. This fall, I will be entering my senior year at Lower Dauphin High School in Hummelstown. Here, I play the baritone in the Marching Band and served as the Low Brass Section Leader, helping to teach students music and techniques as well as mentoring the incoming freshmen. I have worked as Student Director of the Lower Dauphin Middle School Play for the last three years, working with the students to better their abilities. I have also acted since 2012, though I have lessened my activity in this field. However, I do appear on the stage on select occasions. I am also an avid auto racing and NASCAR fan.

If you are elected to serve, what do you hope to accomplish?

As Deputy State Master Councilor, I hope to improve communication and teamwork between the Elected State Officer corps and the Chapters of PA DeMolay. I feel that communication is a two-way street and can only be successful if both Chapters and ESOs make the effort. If we are successful, we will be able to grow the Chapters on a more individual level rather than growing the state as a whole.

What is your greatest DeMolay experience?

The generic answer to this is “there are too many to pick from,” or some variant of that. Generally, I would avoid the generic, but it is true: over almost five years of DeMolay, it is pretty tough to choose. Since I have to choose just one, though, it would have to be the feeling I had around noon on the day after the Operation N.A.S.H.V.I.L.L.E. Training Weekend. This weekend was one of the largest events I’d seen in a long time that didn't have “Key” or “Man” in the name, and even better: I was the one in charge of it! Sure it wasn't perfect, nor did it go exactly as I had planned, but I felt as though everyone I talked to had a great time and were all very excited for the next weekend. It was a truly amazing feeling to know that my hard work paid off.

Who are some of your DeMolay influences?

I've always looked up to the Elected State Officers, specifically the State Master Councilors. Matt Blaisdell played a huge role in my early development as a DeMolay as he was always willing to talk to me, even though I was 12 and he was the SMC at the time. I also remember him not making a big deal out of being SMC, but working just as hard as he had to get there. I've tried to keep that feeling of humility I saw when I was a new member. Also, Dad Berry does a tremendous amount of work at the PMYF office and I believe he does not get enough credit for it, aside from the standard “thank you” at the end of some events.