Lee Tobon is currently a senior at John F. Kennedy Memorial High School and will be attending Kean University in the fall. He was an active member of the Black Student Union and loves volunteering and participating in school events. He’s made many great memories and friends throughout his high school career and can’t wait to make even more in college. In his free time Lee likes to get food with friends, go to the beach, gym and loves to sleep. He has made his mark here at JFK and we wish him the best of luck for his future.
What college are you going to and what are you studying? Why did you choose to study this?
Lee: I’m going to Kean University this fall to study nursing and I chose it because I get to play football for their football team and it’s close to home so I can still see my family and friends.
What do you hope to accomplish after you graduate?
I want to get my bachelor’s degree and then get into the nursing field. Then hopefully later get my master’s in nursing and get into CRNA [Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist] programs. I also want to have fun throughout college and make a lot of new friends.
What is your favorite memory at JFK?
Definitely my senior night for football when we beat North Plainfield. It was a memorable moment, and it’s one of the core memories with my friends that I’ll remember forever.
What sports did you play here at JFK? Did you have any major or minor setbacks while playing these sports?
I did winter track, spring track and football all four years of high school and I was fortunate enough to not get any serious injuries.
What was your biggest struggle in high school? Do you think it helped you for the better or worse?
I’d say one of my biggest struggles was definitely trying to balance my work life, social life and athletics all while maintaining my good grades. But it’s definitely helped me to be a better person and student. It showed me how to be dedicated. It’s helped me to manage my time more and it’s overall made me a better person.
If you had to tell your freshman self something, what would it be?
Something I’d tell my freshman self is to not act like that [immature] because my grades were actually horrendous. I was not locked in at all and got a C+ in art. But ever since then, I started to focus on my studies and not wait ’till the very last minute when studying for an exam or handing in a project. So basically to lock in on school work and focus in class.
Who was your biggest support during high school, whether it be a teacher, parent or friend?
Definitely my friends and my mom. My mom being a close second. Our friends were at every game, supporting me and my teammates the whole time. My mom was at my senior night and loved watching me play under the lights. I had a lot of fun watching my family and friends support me in the crowd.
If you had a chance to re-do your high school experience, would you?
I think I would honestly, just so I could get better grades throughout my high school years. I could do better at sports, do better academically and overall, it’d be fun to do it all again.
Do you have any high school regrets? If so, what?
I feel like I haven’t unlocked my full potential in football. I feel like there is more room on the table for improvement and hopefully in college, I can unlock that improvement and be the best player I can be.
As all of the fun senior activities are coming up, which one are you looking forward to most and why?
Definitely prom because it lands on my birthday, so it will be a lot of fun this year. I also turned 18, so when I go to the Poconos, I can actually drive out of state. Plus, the senior trip on May 20th, is a close second.
