A year or two ago, the now 12-year-old Jacob Davies became interested in traveling and decided he wanted to live in an RV.
But when he realized it was too expensive for his family, and after seeing old school buses being converted into RVs, he thought of the next best thing.
If he canβt live in one, why canβt he design one?
If you know anything about RVs, you probably know the company Winnebago. Based in Iowa, Winnebago is a leading manufacturer for outdoor products, namely RVs and boats.
A few days after Christmas, Jacob, with the help of his uncle John, decided to send a letter to the CEO of Winnebago, Michael J. Happe.
Jacob, a sixth-grader at Leman Academy of Excellence in Marana, wrote to Happe that he wanted to work for his company one day.
Not only that, but the Tucson-area native also sent Happe some drawn-out designs for a double-decker RV β complete with a pool and submarine station. He says some of his design ideas came from YouTube β others came from his own home.
Jacob drew out a double-decker RV design, which includes a swimming pool and a submarine station.
βFor the kitchen design, I used our own kitchen because it felt like home,β he says. βI also (designed) a normal living room, but added some more spice to it β like a rug β to make it feel more like home.β
Jacob also incorporated four bunk beds in his design β that way, his family of eight all had a place to sleep.
Although the designs are impressive, Jacob says he didnβt have a ruler at the time and has since made even better designs for Winnebago.
βIt might be a little crazy, but you might want to take a look,β Jacob wrote in the letter, referencing his RV design.
Jacob told Happe to keep up the good work and to call him if he needed any ideas. βIβm happy to be a tester for any new designs,β he wrote.
Jacob expected a letter back β but nothing personal, just something βtypical,β he says. Maybe theyβd send him some brochures or something, he thought.
But that changed when the mailman rang the doorbell of his Marana home in early February. Jacob simply thought it was a normal package.
His mom, Sara, opened the door and picked the package off the porch. When she held it, she recognized the logo β Winnebago.
βSheβs like βOh my gosh, you gotta see this,β and I was like, βWhat, what, what?ββ Jacob says.
Needless to say, Jacob was more than elated.
βI was thrilled. It was neat to see his face light up,β Sara says.
Inside the box was a personalized letter, signed by Happe himself.
βIt was interesting to see your βdouble deckerβ design concepts and your creative approach to space utilization,β the letter reads. βWe recognized a few features that are pretty standard in our lineup, but I must say this is the first design I remember seeing with a swimming pool and mini-submarine station!β
Happe also included some advice to Jacob, such as doing well in school, engaging in the community and getting a variety of experiences.
Jacob says none of those would be a problem for him β he already does his best in school and takes on new experiences, he says.
βI wasnβt expecting this heartwarming letter,β Jacob says. βI really liked it.β
In the letter from Michael J. Happe, the CEO gives Jacob some advice, such as doing well in school, engaging in the community and getting a variety of experiences.of
Along with the letter, which the Davies family plans to frame, Happe sent a Winnebago hat and a model of a motorhome β which Jacob and his dad, Stephen, assembled right away.
βIβm really proud of (Jacob) for being so creative,β Sara says. βI think itβs great that he has a goal in mind and is striving to do more.β
Beyond Jacobβs passion for Winnebago and RVs in general β he has countless model RVs made out of LEGOs in his room β heβs also thought about possibly becoming an engineer, just like his dad.
Plus, Jacob likes to draw, write and sing. βAnything to keep me busy,β he says.
Jacob also snagged a lead role in his schoolβs musical theater production for βPeter Pan.β He plays Michael, which he says is cool because Michael is Happeβs first name.
