Remington Jackson ’08 considers Shady Side Academy a life-changer. Academically under-challenged through middle school, Jackson had the opportunity to come to SSA in ninth grade thanks to a scholarship from FAME (Fund for Advancement of Minorities through Education) and the generous support from alumnus John Kramer ’57.

 

“You meet certain people in life and they’re so good that you just can’t believe they’re real,” said Jackson. “Mr. Kramer is the real deal. He’s genuine — and he taught me the importance of matching words with actions.”

 

Kramer’s mentorship of Jackson continued well beyond Shady Side Academy through law school, and remains a constant to this day. 

“An important part of my story is that I didn’t pass the bar exam the first time after I graduated from law school,” said Jackson. “Mr. Kramer continued to encourage me, and I finally passed my third time around. He helped me to understand that failure is as important as success. It helps us grow.”

Part of Jackson’s growth journey with Mr. Kramer came in the form of giving back. Kramer encouraged Jackson to become part of SSA’s Board of Visitors, a distinguished group of alumni from across the country that serve in an advisory capacity to Academy leadership. Kramer founded the Board of Visitors in 2002 with Ed Grefenstette ’85 as a way to provide the Academy with valuable perspective, feedback, suggestions and insight.

 

“John Kramer helped me to understand how important that is," said Jackson. "A society grows great when older generations plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit. Great SSA stewards like John Kramer gave generously, which helped create scholarships for up-and-coming students like myself to achieve our dreams. Now is my turn to give and carry that flag forward to do the same for the next generations.”