Deadline Nears For Scholarship In Memory Of Manhattan Teen

MANHATTAN, IL — A Manhattan family continues to honor the memory of a Manhattan teen, by awarding a scholarship in his name to Lincoln-Way West High School graduating seniors.

Shelly Lewis' son Jackson would have graduated from Lincoln-Way West High School in 2023. The soccer player and avid runner seemed to be a happy kid, his mom previously told Patch, when at just 15 years old he took his own life.

"We didn’t see any signs, red flags, nothing that indicated he was depressed," Shelly Lewis previously told Patch. "He was a happy kid. ... It was completely out of left field. We didn’t see it coming, it was devastating for us."

Jackson was active in sports, and social. In junior high, he ran track and cross country. He played soccer as a freshman at West. He had a lot of friends, Lewis said, and everything seemed to be going well for him, until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. With shutdown and restrictions in place, Jackson lost his connections and his outlet in sports. Even with the changes in his routines, though, no one knew of his suicidal ideation.

"We didn’t see anything unusual," Lewis said. "It was just a complete shock, to even his closest friends. You think if something was wrong, he would have confided in a friend, but they were all just completely shocked."

Since his death, Jackson's family and Thompson are continuing efforts to memorialize Jackson in the New Lenox and Manhattan communities, with the creation of the Jackson Lewis Memorial Foundation and its corresponding scholarship. Now in its second year, the scholarship will be awarded to two Lincoln-Way West seniors.

The foundation is a nonprofit aimed at helping to raise awareness for and help combat suicide in kids 18 years and younger. It's based on three pillars: awareness, education and research. The foundation will focus on kids with mental health issues, offering outreach programs with featured speakers at area schools.

The two scholarships are worth $500 each. Recipients will be chosen based on writing prompts, grades, extracurricular activities, and community involvement. Applications have been provided to all Lincoln-Way West seniors, and are also available at the school.

All applications must be submitted by Friday, March 8. Any questions or submissions can be sent to thelewisfoundation59@gmail.com.