In Gackle, North Dakota, population 280, one can seldom hear anything above a light buzz. Bees swarm the massive mounds of boxes that litter the fields of Miller Honey Farms, a honey production operation usually manned by seasoned beekeepers. For a summer, though, Jacob Smith (’25) took up a position as a keeper of the Miller hives, following a trail of curiosity about the small town in the Great Plains.

Cut off from almost every form of digital communication, Jacob spent the summer before senior year split between doing manual labor on the farm and learning about the intricacies of bees and their care. Despite the imposing task that lay ahead, he took the summer as it came, facing the common fears associated with the often stinging animals to fuel his pursuit of general knowledge.

“The average person is scared of bees,” Jacob said. “But, being able to appreciate and work with these creatures that most people are afraid to ever interact with, being able to open a hive and help these animals, it was amazing. It seems foreign to do that unless you actually try it, because no one’s going and just approaching beehives.”

Jacob might have the practical sense to avoid direct contact with beehives, but the intense curiosity can often drive him to unconventional places. His time at Gackle did not come from a lifelong fixation on the winged insects, the process of honey farming or even the study of animals or agriculture. Rather, his sojourn to an unconventional summer job stemmed from a fascination with fascination itself — a sense of adventure that occupies his mind constantly. Close friend Kaleb Goldin (’25) highlights Jacob’s intrepid nature, especially when exploring new places.

“He’s always wanting to go on adventures,” Kaleb said. “Whether it’s like finding cliffs in Davenport, going on top of his dad’s business in downtown Los Gatos on the roof, he’s always making memories. He’s like Ferris Bueller — always wanting to go on adventures.”

While Jacob’s pursuit of beekeeping was a one-time experience, it exemplified the distinct rhythm he brings to every community. Despite a lack of experience tending to hives, Jacob managed to teach his co-workers a new game surrounding one tedious process of beekeeping, bringing a new rhythm to everyday life on the farm.

Chemistry teacher Mala Raghavan notices this unique insight that Jacob brings into the classroom. She commends Jacob for taking classes that are of genuine interest to him. 

“He’s a very independent thinker, which is really good because he doesn’t do courses just because,” Dr. Raghavan said. “All students have to take some of the courses, but he’s taking my sustainability course now, which is a regular course, and he’s interested in the issues more than just taking some other course that is more credit. It’s nice to see that.” 

While many now know of Jacob’s beat-of-his-own-drum, distinct personality, settling into new experiences once occurred to him as a daunting task.  For the past four years, he’s dedicated much of his extracurricular time to volleyball, a pursuit that he started as a frosh. He recalled how self-consciousness affected him towards the beginning of his playing career.

“It’s really easy to get super shy or nervous or thinking about how you look and to not be thinking about what’s going on, to be thinking about other people,” Jacob said. “There were a few moments where I realized I am here in a game, but I’m thinking about how I look to other people who are watching. I had to work slower, more focused. It was a process.”

Since his early struggles with keeping with his own pursuits, Jacob has found his own personal routine. Surrounding the bursts of energy that characterize his outsized passion comes an attention to detail that aids both himself and those around him.

“It’s about the overlooked things,” Jacob said. “Lots of people look at mountains; these giant scenes can be seen as more appealing. But sometimes, there’s nothing there. The beauty there is in the miniature stuff, like bees; that’s where the sublime is.”