Caleb Lee is the valedictorian for Tacoma Online High School. He will also graduate with his associate’s degree from Tacoma Community College.  

He is described as strong-spirited, with an unwavering commitment to his goals and beliefs. 

He takes his culture very seriously, and investing in his community is important to him. He has been involved with powwows and cultural events, and he volunteered for a totem pole raising in Craig, Alaska. During high school, he spent time on a Native American reservation near Alturas, California, teaching financial literacy to students. His dreams involve using his future endeavors to give back to his community.    

Caleb shared about his high school career and his plans for the future. 

What’s an accomplishment you’re proud of?   

I'm pretty proud of being able to sustain my GPA and be at the top of my class at Tacoma Online. It's really cool for me because I started out with an IEP, and I had to dedicate a lot more time to school than other students. My grandma always encouraged me to never let it define me. I decided from that point forward in middle school that it was my goal to maintain a 4.0. At TCC, I’ve been on the Dean’s List every quarter.   

What are your plans for next year?  

I plan to attend University of Washington, Tacoma. I want to get a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a minor in marketing. I also plan on getting a realtors license. I'm Native American, and growing up, I've seen people struggle with housing and expensive costs. I want to help make life more affordable and better for people like me.  

How has your school experience helped prepare you for that pathway? 
 
Tacoma Online has prepared me to be more disciplined. I’ve gotten better at time management and holding myself accountable for all my assignments. That has prepared me for Running Start as well. Without that discipline, it would have been much more difficult.  

I also participated in a CTE Summer Learning program where I earned an FAA license for piloting drones. I plan to use that for my real estate business to take photos of the properties. Participating in Money Club also allowed me to meet local real estate professionals and intern with a developer who is building affordable housing.   

Where have you shown the most grit in your high school career?  

I’ve shown the most grit in my first year of Running Start. I had to get used to a different academic atmosphere. Luckily, my family was there cheering me on and keeping me going. From that point forward, I realized that this dream wasn't just about me. One of my main goals with business is creating generational wealth so my family can follow their own dreams and aspirations. If we don't struggle, we're never going to become our best selves. So I persevered through it and figured out how to do well at TCC.  

Describe yourself in three words. 

Loyal, empathetic and disciplined.