HHS graduate turns his life around from failure

Realized it was time ‘to step it up’ and follow through

Spencer Lee had come to understand he’d made mistakes at Hahnville High School (HHS), but that was also when he realized it was time “to step it up.”

Lee said “life took him down,” but he came to understand that it was up to him to get back up.

His realization was spot on.

“I got held back,” said the Luling student taking an honest assessment of his life. “I failed a few times.”

When Lee, now 20 years old, began to see his friends move on while his life was stalled, he really understood it was time to, not just move on, but to move in a direction that made sense.

“At this point in my journey in high school, I’d seen friends graduating and seeing them start their lives,” he said. “I’m seeing my life stand still in high school.”Lee started paying more attention in class and figuring out what he could change for the better.

“Most of the time I was really learning from myself,” he said of acknowledging he need to improve his attitude. “That’s when I realized I had to get myself through school.”For Lee, the lesson became – when life throws something at you, stick it out and follow through.

And he did.

“I am totally different in how I speak in person and how I do things,” Lee said. “It was a mental challenge for me.”

He learned not to quit.

On May 15, after dealing with reading problems, failing grades and behavioral issues, Lee will become an HHS graduate.

And he’s on track.

Lee is attending a trade school and hopes to get a job in an area plant. Eventually, he hopes to go to college to get a degree in physical therapy and dreams of starting his own gym.

Now that he has found a life path, Lee is working on his dreams.

“I learned that you don’t let life’s struggles come in your way of attempting what you want in life,” he said. “There were times in my life that life threw something at me. Now, I just won’t quit and give up.”