Jordan High School senior Lul Gebreab is a scholar athlete, though he hasn’t taken the traditional path for either. He has chosen a sport that’s not typical for high school athletes, and he struggled at first with his studies.
“I remember I had my first AP class in my junior year, and I was the only Black kid in the class,” he said. “From then on, I realized it was much more than just me I was working for, so I started taking school more seriously.”
Principal Susan Stewart Taylor and Assistant Principal Kenya Blackwell said that Gebreab’s maturity and focus make him stand out among his peers.
“The growth of Lul as a student from his freshman year to his senior year has been amazing,” they said.
Though he’ll go to community college after high school, Gebreab said, “mainly, I’ll be perusing a career in boxing in which I want to be the next champion of the world. Being one of the first African-born champions means a lot to me, and I want to help my community in so many ways, and I feel boxing gives me the best audience to do so.”