Jason was born and raised in Northwest Reno. He is the proud son of immigrants, with his mother arriving from Sicily and his father hailing from civilization’s roots in Iraq. Being the youngest of three children, Jason learned from a young age the importance of education and determination.
Jason has two siblings. His brother John taught him the value of dedication, wisdom, and education, while his sister Vivian taught him the importance of care, hard work, and communication. Jason espouses these values and lessons in the classroom and in his community, where his faith and passion for service guide him.
Jason is a proud Lancer, having graduated from Robert McQueen High School in June 2024. He will be attending the University of Nevada, Reno this fall with a major in political science.
Jason’s passion for music and the cello goes all the way back to sixth grade. In McQueen, Jason played the cello in the concert, sinfonia, and chamber orchestras, where he learned skills and lessons that come with musicianship: determination, perseverance, teamwork, and reliability. Determination to deliver as an ensemble; perseverance in learning from his mistakes during both rehearsals and performances; teamwork among his fellow cellists and the music department; and reliability in always showing up regardless of the challenges facing him that day.
Jason auditioned for and won the fourth chair position at the Washoe County School District Honor Orchestra for November and October 2023. Made up of five-hundred of the most talented middle and high school orchestra students in the district, the program performed at the Pioneer Center alongside guest conductor Soon Hee Newbold, where Jason further developed his passion for musicianship and the cello.
Jason was a member of McQueen’s Speech and Debate program during his senior year, where he participated in Congressional Debate and US Extemporaneous Speech. During his tenure, he participated in six debate tournaments, where he drafted five bills and debated thirty-three bills overall.
From McQueen’s debate program, Jason learned more than to just speak well—he learned how to research, think critically, and understand that some of the most mundane topics and issues can greatly affect us all and that everyone should be informed of the world around them.
Jason is an alumnus of McQueen’s We the People program during his senior year, where he played a key part in getting the team to the state competition for the first time in the school’s history. Jason was a member of units two and four, focusing on the framing of the Constitution and how the values embedded in the Constitution shaped American institutions and practices, respectively. In the end, Jason would receive congressional recognition for his involvement in the program from Congressman Mark Amodei and Senator Jacky Rosen.
Beyond politics and government, though, Jason would learn how to work as a team and how to lead. We the People has provided him with invaluable lessons and skills that he’ll carry with him for his lifetime.
Jason has been a member of McQueen’s chapter of the National Honor Society, called “The Order of the Garter,” since his junior year. When he became a senior, he ran for the position of vice president and won.
As Vice President, Jason focused on strengthening the four pillars of the organization: service, character, scholarship, and leadership. He helped organize blood drives, collaborated with other organizations with food and book drives, and, most notably, hosted a voter registration drive (although not officially with the NHS) to register seniors and to preregister juniors to vote this November. Jason also continued the club’s tradition of volunteering with the Greater Nevada Field and the annual McQueen Craft Fair.
Jason’s hobbies reflect his insatiable thirst for knowledge and willingness to challenge himself. When Jason isn’t playing the cello, he can be found studying his chess openings and middlegames, preparing for his next few games. If he’s not studying chess, he’s likely working on his German, Italian, or Mandarin Chinese. Jason’s favorite books are Profiles in Ignorance: How America’s Politicians Got Dumber and Dumber by Andy Borowitz and My Sixty Memorable Games by Bobby Fischer.
“Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing, some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
—Hebrews 13:1,2
Growing up during the chaotic and tumultuous period that was post-2016 America showed Jason, as well as many young Americans of Gen Z, the profound impact that civil engagement and debate have on our lives and communities. Witnessing the divide between fellow Americans over petty political differences, propelled by pundits and the media, has ignited in Jason a passionate and keen interest in politics—both domestic and foreign. Despite what some of our politicians tell us, it is Jason’s belief, and it should be the belief of all, that there is so much more that unites this country than divides us; one should be committed to serving their fellow man for the sake of service and citizenship, not to push a divisive agenda. That’s why Jason took to volunteering for candidates and leaders who he believed would be uniters, not dividers; those who achieve, not those who virtue signal; and those who know the difference between right and wrong. Jason is committed to serving his community and upholding those key values.