MT. CARMEL, IL (WFIE) -
This weekend, many high school seniors will be graduating, but how many can say they've never ever missed a day of school since pre-school?
Just to give you an idea of the type of commitment Jacob Jackson has made to his education, he's never missed a day of school in 15 years. That's more than 2,600 school days.
As a Senior at Mt. Carmel high school, Jackson has walked through the school doors more than 700 school days and never considered staying home, even for one day.
"There were a couple times when I didn't feel good and I went to school. You know, I could be home and not feel good or go to school and not feel good, it didn't really matter and it kind of helped that I was in school, it took my mind off of being sick," Jackson told 14 News.
Even when more than 100 members of his senior class called in for Senior Skip Day, Jackson was still in the classroom.
"They kind of dogged me for not skipping," Jackson pointed out.
Jackson's Principal Pat Cheesman says they do have students who have perfect attendance for one year of school, but says in his 32 years in the school system, he can only remember one other student having perfect attendance for 12 years, and another student for 10.
Mr. Cheesman says parents call their kids in for everything from a doctor's appointment to prom dress shopping.
"Students have braces and they have to go to orthodontic's appointments, those are very difficult to make in Mt. Carmel because you are either going to Vincennes or going to Evansville," Cheesman pointed out.
Mr. Cheesman credits Jackson's parents for putting education first.
"To come to school, even when they have a tummy ache or they just are scared of being at school, the parents have to instill that in the students."
After graduation, Jackson hopes to become a nurse and hopes his future employer will recognize his commitment.
"I guess I've just been strongly motivated in school, I've always wanted to do the best that I could in anything," Jackson said.
Jacob will be recognized Thursday night at Senior Honor night and will graduate Friday. He hopes to be a nurse at Wabash General Hospital.
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