SAN ANTONIO — A North East ISD student is not only racking up a list of recognitions, his teachers said he’s a one of a kind gem, with a heart to serve.
“He just has a very positive attitude and outlook on life,” said Major Jamelle Garner, Senior Army JROTC. “And, he definitely does not mind sharing that with other students.”
If you need a little inspiration, look no further than Tristan Lee.
His advice: “Just look at what you're interested in and just pursue it. Go for it. There's nothing holding you back.”
The senior at Roosevelt High School is pretty good at taking his own advice, and he already has quite a list of accolades to prove it.
“A motto I live by is, ‘I didn't come this far to only come this far,’” said Tristan. “It really just motivates me every day that I want to grow more as a person and I want to be able to give back to my communities.”
In addition to excelling in rigorous courses, Tristan is a standout in the Cyber Security Magnet program in NEISD. He’s been recognized as a Finalist-All Service Runner Up in the CyberPatriot National Competition, and been awarded the Mayor’s Cyber Cup Award three times.
“He's had some outstanding experiences that will stay with him for the rest of his life,” said Roosevelt High School Principal, Bryan Norwood.
Tristan is also the Executive Officer for the Rough Rider JROTC Battalion, serving as second in command of the battalion of more than 150 cadets.
“He comes to us with these magnificent ideas for service learning community projects,” said Garner. “He was our national essay winner last year. He was the top essay in the entire 5th Brigade, out of about 11,000 other cadets.”
It’s a responsibility that Tristan takes on with pride.
“My decisions kind of are pushing our battalion forward to our goals, and I want to make sure that our goals are the correct ones,” said Tristan.
“He's a servant leader. He encourages his troops. He gets behind, and he rallies behind them,” said Norwood.
Tristan said he hopes to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy or U.S. Naval Academy when he graduates.
“The future looks bright with Tristan, leading the way and at the helm,” said Garner.
He said his primary goal is to serve the government and focus on cybersecurity while continuing his mission of giving back.
“America is all about opportunity, and I want to make sure that everyone around me continues to have opportunities so that they can pursue what they love, and so that everyone can just continue to grow,” said Tristan.
Those are just a few reasons why Tristan Lee is a KENS 5 All-Star Student.
Ebony Lambert representing the UPS Store off FM 78 presented Tristan with the All-Star Award.
“He's going to look back and smile and say, ‘I made a difference. I left Roosevelt a better place than when I got there,’” said Norwood.