Jarrett Semo Summer Camp Wake board & Water Ski Scholarship
The Jarrett Semo Waterski/Wakeboarding Camp scholarship aims to
honor Jarrett’s love for water sports by helping families create
their own cherished memories on the water.
This scholarship will be awarded to campers aged 6-17 with an
interest in waterskiing or wakeboarding, providing instruction
and promoting boating safety.
About Jarrett Semo
Jarrett Semo, born in San Ramon, CA, was known for his smart, funny, charming, and friendly nature, as well as a smile that could light up a room. He was the world to his mom and dad, Linda and Brent Semo. Jarrett’s love for watersports began at age 3, with family camping trips to Lake Don Pedro, then evolving into competitive skiing and wakeboarding with USA Waterski and the Modesto Waterski Club at the age of 6 with Coach Richard Lea. At age 12 he became an instructor and driver. Although sidelined by injuries, his passion for the water, motorcycles, and trucks remained. He passed away prematurely at age 26.
We often hear that some people “light up a room,” but with Jarrett, it was more than just a phrase—it was a fact. That smile was his calling card. It didn’t matter if he was covered in grease under the hood of a truck or dripping wet after a run with the water-ski club; if he was smiling, you couldn’t help but smile back. And that was exactly how he wanted it.
Jarrett was a rare combination of a brilliant mind and a servant’s heart. He was the man you called when something was broken—not just because he was smart enough to figure out any mechanical puzzle, but because he genuinely loved the act of helping. He lived by a simple creed: if he put his mind to it, it was as good as done. Whether it was mastering a new trick on the water or getting a motorcycle back on the road, he didn’t see obstacles; he saw challenges to be enjoyed. One of his greatest strengths was his ability to encourage others. He would often tell others, “You got this!”
Some of his happiest chapters of his life were written on the water. To see him with the water-ski club was to see a man in his element—surrounded by the spray, the speed, and the “lake family” he loved so dearly. He chased the wind on his bike and found peace in the power of a heavy truck.
He leaves behind a legacy of grease-stained hands, sun-drenched memories, and a community of friends and family who are better for having known him. He taught us that you can be the smartest person in the room and still be the one most willing to get your hands dirty for a friend.
Those who knew him will not just miss the roar of the engine and the splash of the wake, but his light. We thank him for teaching us how to live full-throttle. Jarrett, may you find the smoothest water on the other side where there are no injuries and every day is a perfect run. We will carry your humor and your love with us like a steady tide.
Jarrett Semo Camp Scholarship Application
Jarrett had a brilliant, mechanical mind that could solve any problem, but it was his “light-up-the-room” smile and his heart for people that truly defined him. Some of our family’s most cherished memories were made on the lake, surrounded by friends, laughter, and the spray of the water. Jarrett loved seeing that same joy reflected in the faces of others—especially kids discovering the thrill of watersports for the first time.
The Jarrett Semo Waterski/Wakeboarding Camp scholarship aims to honor Jarrett’s love for water sports by helping families create their own cherished memories on the water.
We believe that every child deserves the chance to build those forever memories. This scholarship will be awarded to campers aged 6-17 with an interest in waterskiing or wakeboarding, providing instruction and promoting boating safety. This scholarship was established to honor that spirit by giving others the same opportunity to experience the pure happiness Jarrett found on the water.