Teen author and philanthropist graduates high school after impacting over 200K lives

CHICAGO — Among the graduates at Currie High School is a young Chicago philanthropist we’ve watched grow up.

When Jahkil Jackson was eight years old, he came up with the idea to give out essentials to those experiencing homelessness, calling the essentials given out “Blessing Bags.”

Jackson’s mission became a non-profit organization called “Project I Am.”

“When I first started, the goal was to help others that are on the streets. Now, I’ve done over 200,000 Blessing Bags and worked with thousands of youths all over the world,” Jackson said.

“Project I Am” has even branched off into France, Canada and Spain, Jackson says.

When he was 12, he wrote the first of three books.

“My first book is called ‘I Am’ and it’s a children’s book to help other kids wo experience being bullied,” Jackson said. “It’s based on my experience of being bullied and I just wanted to help other kids get through that rough time.”

His second book is called ‘Don’t Wait to Be Great,’ and he says it’s about giving other young people tips on how to chase their dreams and find a passion.

His latest, titled ‘Built Different,’ was created with the support of his dad.

“I wrote the book for every teen who’s felt pressure to be perfect and try to figure things out along the way. The book is giving them step-by-step tools to manage their mental health,” Jackson said.

Now, Jackson is off to college.

“Right now, I’ve gotten accepted to about 17 schools, so I’m really excited about that. [I’m] still figuring out where I want to go,” he said.

The young author, who loves basketball, met Barack Obama and even collaborated with Crate and Barrel on a project, is ready to write his next chapter.

“I think Jahkil Jackson’s life five years from now looks pretty complicated because I do so many things,” he said. “I’m excited to see what that looks like in adulthood. I want to continue all the activities that I do and see how far that can get me.”

He’s proving that a life’s mission can start at a young age and grow.