Western High School student perseveres through house fire, learning English to graduate early

OVERCAME TO GET TO THIS MOMENT. A HUGE PERSONALITY, ALWAYS WELL DRESSED, UM, WANTS TO DO WELL, WANTS TO SUCCEED. UM, BUT ALSO A KID WHO HE LOVES TO JOKE. HE LOVES TO HAVE FUN TO KNOW. JONAS A-LANG. ACCORDING TO HIS TEACHER STEPHEN MITCHELL, IS TO KNOW A SUCCESSFUL YOUNG MAN. BUT WHAT YOU WOULDN’T GUESS IS THE MULTIPLE CHALLENGES THAT HE’S OVERCOME IN HIS 17 YEARS OF LIFE. IT WAS HARD FOR ME, BUT I THANK GOD I MADE IT HERE. JONAS AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO LOUISVILLE FROM TANZANIA IN 2018. HE ATTENDED THE NEWCOMER ACADEMY AND DID NOT SPEAK ENGLISH. YOU KNOW, I DIDN’T GIVE UP, SO I KNOW LIKE, THIS IS THIS IS THIS IS MY CHOICE, YOU KNOW? THIS IS MY CHANCE. YOU KNOW? SO I HAD TO STEP UP, EXCELLING IN THE CLASSROOM. HE EVENTUALLY CAME TO WESTERN, DETERMINED TO GRADUATE EARLY. SOMETIMES I WOULD KIND OF FORGET HE WAS AN ESL KID. UM, JUST BECAUSE OF HOW WELL HE COULD COMMUNICATE. TAKING BOTH HIS JUNIOR AND SENIOR CREDITS AT THE SAME TIME. JONAS WAS ON THE RIGHT PATH UNTIL LAST DECEMBER, WHEN A HOUSE FIRE DESTROYED HIS HOME AND TOOK THE LIVES OF THREE OF HIS FAMILY MEMBERS. AGES 17 YEARS OLD. YOU KNOW, TO HAD TO SEE CARE OF MY FAMILY, FAMILY MEMBER BEING JOKING OUT OF FIRE. IT WAS HARD FOR ME. YEAH, SOME OF MY STUFF THAT I GO TO, I WILL JUST I WILL NEVER TELL NOBODY. I WOULD JUST PUT IT IN MY IN MY HEART. JONAS TOOK TIME OFF FROM SCHOOL TO HELP CARE FOR HIS FAMILY. I DIDN’T LIKE IT, BUT I HAD TO DO IT BECAUSE IT’S MY FAMILY, YOU KNOW? AND I’M THE ONLY ONE. THEY LOOK UP TO. AND I’M THE ONLY ONE WHO SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH. SO I HAD TO STEP UP NO MATTER WHAT. DESPITE THE CHALLENGES, JONAS REACHED HIS ULTIMATE GOAL OF GRADUATING EARLY AND SAYS IF HE CAN DO IT, ANYBODY CAN. DON’T LET ANYTHING THAT THAT YOU GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, PUT YOU DOWN OR BRING YOU DOWN, YOU KNOW? YEAH. SO THAT’S HOW I CAN TELL THEM NEVER GIVE UP,

It's fitting that Western High School's mascot is a warrior, because that's how many of Jonas Alenge's teachers and classmates describe him."Huge personality, always well-dressed. He's very serious in his classes, takes them very serious because he wants to do well, wants to succeed," said Stephen Mitchell, Jonas's ESL teacher.Based on that description, Mitchell admits, you'd never guess that Jonas has overcome several challenges to get to where he is today.Alenge and his family moved to Louisville in 2018 from Tanzania, speaking little to no English. However, Jonas overcame that challenge at the Newcomer Academy, excelling in his classes."I just, I didn't give up because I knew, like, this is my choice, you know? This is my chance. So I had to step up," said Alenge.He eventually came to Western High School and was determined to graduate early. That was put on pause, however, when midway through his final year of school, his house caught on fire. It took the lives of three of his family members. "As a 17-year-old, I had to see my family members being drug out of a fire," said Jonas. "Some of the stuff that I through, I would just, I would never tell nobody. I would just put it in my heart."Jonas had to take time off of school to help his family members, who don't speak English."I just put my faith in God. I didn't let what happened change my character. So I just know that, you know, no matter what, I have to be who I am," said Jonas.He used his competitive, outgoing and determined spirit to push him through the challenges to success. Jonas will graduate early, as he planned, on Friday. He said, he hopes his story can inspire others to push through their challenges."Don't let anything that you go through, you know, put you down or bring you down. That's all I can say; just never give up," said Jonas.Jonas plans to join the U.S. Army after graduation. He hopes to eventually become a police officer.

SHIVELY, Ky. —

It's fitting that Western High School's mascot is a warrior, because that's how many of Jonas Alenge's teachers and classmates describe him.

"Huge personality, always well-dressed. He's very serious in his classes, takes them very serious because he wants to do well, wants to succeed," said Stephen Mitchell, Jonas's ESL teacher.

Based on that description, Mitchell admits, you'd never guess that Jonas has overcome several challenges to get to where he is today.

Alenge and his family moved to Louisville in 2018 from Tanzania, speaking little to no English. However, Jonas overcame that challenge at the Newcomer Academy, excelling in his classes.

"I just, I didn't give up because I knew, like, this is my choice, you know? This is my chance. So I had to step up," said Alenge.

He eventually came to Western High School and was determined to graduate early.

That was put on pause, however, when midway through his final year of school, his house caught on fire. It took the lives of three of his family members.

"As a 17-year-old, I had to see my family members being drug out of a fire," said Jonas. "Some of the stuff that I [went] through, I would just, I would never tell nobody. I would just put it in my heart."

Jonas had to take time off of school to help his family members, who don't speak English.

"I just put my faith in God. I didn't let what happened change my character. So I just know that, you know, no matter what, I have to be who I am," said Jonas.

He used his competitive, outgoing and determined spirit to push him through the challenges to success.

Jonas will graduate early, as he planned, on Friday. He said, he hopes his story can inspire others to push through their challenges.

"Don't let anything that you go through, you know, put you down or bring you down. That's all I can say; just never give up," said Jonas.

Jonas plans to join the U.S. Army after graduation. He hopes to eventually become a police officer.

Western High School student perseveres through house fire, learning English to graduate early

GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

Top Picks