LightHouse sends 20 graduates to higher education

Caps and gowns await 20 LightHouse seniors this year, but this is not the end of their education. Each one has plans for higher education or the military.

And they credit the LightHouse with much of their success.

“They make you want to finish high school and go to college,” said Yolanda, who plans to pursue a career in nursing.

LaGregory started attending the LightHouse in middle school. Even when he wanted to take it easy, he said the coordinators kept pushing him.

“She had high expectations and that made me have high expectations for myself,” he said.

 While many of the students grew up in The LightHouse, others didn’t discover the program until recently. Keilon Hill’s sisters attended, and he finally started coming to the Travis Street program until his senior year. Dressed in slacks and a bowtie, he gushed about the lessons he learned in a short time.

“It’s always good to surround yourself with positive people,” he said. “My senior year has been my best year. So many things are happening because of the positive influence of The LightHouse.”

Next year, the Fair Park graduate plans to attend Tuskegee University and pursue a degree in aerospace engineering.

For many of the students, their favorite part of the LightHouse were community service opportunities and helping out the younger kids. And they had some good advice that had been given to them.

“Never give up,” said December, who will enroll at Southern University-Shreveport. “There are many outcomes to better yourself.”

These graduates will bring the total of LightHouse alumni in college to more than 50.