By Joan Frances –
As a senior at Lamar Consolidated High School, Kenny Tran has learned to experience all aspects of what high school has to offer a student. From academics to extracurricular activities to sports, Kenny has excelled in successfully gaining knowledge and wisdom to take the next step in his future.
Kenny has taken Advanced Placement classes throughout his high school career. He is a member of the National Honor Society, the Criminal Justice Association and Criminal Justice Skills USA. He earned 1st Place in Quiz Bowl and Crime Scene Investigation for Skills USA Regional Competition, a contest that tested and scored Kenny on his knowledge and application of U.S. Constitutional Law, along with his written and verbal communications skills. Kenny was also awarded the Advanced English Student Mustang Honor Award.
Kenny’s favorite teacher is Dr. Fred Guess, his Law Enforcement Teacher. “I have been close to Dr. Guess since my freshman year,” shared Kenny. “In my experiences as a Criminal Justice Association and Skills USA member, I have learned a lot from him. He was one of the people who encouraged me to work hard. When I was in his class, he would always push me to study every day. My sister was a former student of his, and he would always talk about how great of a student she was, so he expected a lot from me. Nevertheless, I learned a lot about leadership and courtesy from him.”
A leader in Skills USA, Kenny said, “I was one of the experienced people in Skills USA. Being a leader means that I have opportunities to encourage others. A lot of people get discouraged when put into a leadership role, and this is totally normal. A leader is not one who carries the load and does all the work. A leader’s duty is to help other people grow and become successful together. A good leader puts their team first before themselves. That is why being a leader is fulfilling to me. I feel happy helping others.”
In addition to his academic accomplishments and extracurricular endeavors, Kenny played basketball. He reflected on his best memories of his high school years. “I will definitely miss showing school spirit, going to football games with my friends and playing on the basketball team. One of my goals in high school was to at least make it to the basketball team, and I finally was able to make it in my junior year. Even though there were a lot of ups and downs in my only season, I still had a lot of fun, and I will miss it a lot.”
Driven to achieve, Kenny has learned that putting for an effort pays off. “The most essential value I live by is effort. Effort is something that has driven me to who I am today. Everyone has goals to be successful in life. However, success is not something that can be given for free. To be successful, one must be willing to put in the effort and grind. Looking back into my earlier years of high school, it was not easy. I am definitely not book smart, but my effort is what pulled me through, and now I am almost graduating. I give credit to my parents because they sacrificed so much for me, and I want to help them by giving the effort to be successful.”
In the fall, Kenny is considering either the University of Houston, Houston Community College or Wharton County Junior College. He will major in nursing and aspires to be a registered nurse in the future. Congratulations Kenny on your continued effort to accomplish your goals and to be a success!