Jacob Landis '11, son of Lois and Keith Landis ’80, Sterling, won 8 varsity letters in his four years at Sterling: four in track and field, and four in cross country. A three-time all-conference team member in cross country, Landis finished first among eighty-three participants in the 2010 Northern Illinois Big XII conference race. Landis advanced to the IHSA state cross country meet for the second straight season in 2010 and ran a personal best of 15:16 on the 3-mile Detweiller Park course in Peoria, finishing in 26th place, putting him eight-seconds out of the 25th place, which would have earned him all-state honors and a state medal. Landis was also named to the conference’s all-academic first team during both his junior and senior seasons.On the track, not surprisingly, the distance events were Landis’ specialty. His personal best time in the 3200-meter run was 9:49.69, and he ran a personal best 4:38.09 in the1600-meter event, both at the United Township Kiwanis Invitational. Landis also finished in third place in the 3200 in the 2011 inaugural NIB-12 conference meet and was elected to the all-conference academic first team. Landis was a member of the following school teams and clubs: Scholastic Bowl, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, National Honor Society, Science Club, and Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE). At the WYSE sectional competition, Jacob garnered a first place in engineering graphics. Landis spends time with his church’s youth group, participates in 4-H activities, works for Landis Organics, plays the trumpet for the Sterling Municipal Band and was the male recipient of the SHS Student of the Year Award.Landis plans to attend Hesston College, Hesston, KS, and major in agricultural science and minor in bible studies. From Hesston, Landis plans to transfer to a four-year university, possibly University of Wisconsin-Platteville or Iowa State. Landis will use his education to come back to Sterling and join his brothers and father on the family’s organic dairy farm.