There are many students and faculty members in LTHS, and as Vanguard News we believe that everyone has a story to tell. 

Today, we will share the first story of hardwork and knowledge of our principal Dr. Jacob Duce. 

In the past summer, Duce earned his doctorate degree in education focusing on leadership and technology through six year of rigorous work. 

When asked about the inspiration behind earning his doctorate degree, Duce said that not only was it a part of his competitive nature, but also a personal dream come true. 

“My father dropped out of high school and my mom got a GED,” Duce said. “ I wanted to show that one can succeed in life without the model home upbringing.” 

Throughout the process, Duce overcame many obstacles in terms of time management and prioritization since compared to the process of getting bachelor degree, he now has many more responsibilities such as family and career.

“I had to manage many aspects of my life, including my teaching and my family,” Duce said. “ I constantly prioritized different goals throughout the process and restrain my focus on certain aspects of research on a daily basis.”

Additionally, the idea of sacrifice was also mentioned as an important aspect of the process. 

“I had to sacrifice certain social events and dedicate my time to the research for my degree,” Duce said. “ But you shouldn’t sacrifice your sleep, because self care is important.” 

Duce said one of the most important things he learnt throughout the process is accepting imperfections and the role of change in your pathway to your goal. 

“Many of our students have great goals and dreams that they want to achieve,” Duce said. “And I want them to realize that the pathway to your goal will be constantly changing, and accepting that change in pathway is important since it will eventually lead you to your final goal.”