Posted at: 06/26/2009 4:52 PM | WHEC.com
Updated at: 06/26/2009 7:54 PM
By: Thalia Hayden

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Successful senior: Enoch Henry

Sometimes shy and quiet teens are overlooked even if they accomplish great things, they don't always get noticed because they're more reserved.

Enoch Henry says he hasn't had the easiest life. It was a lot of things, like personal things, like family and stuff outside of school that kind of drained me”
   
This senior from Global Media Arts High School at Franklin says his parents are not a part of his life and lives with a legal guardian. He says many people were trying to hold him down. “A lot of negativity - even from blood members in my family.”

Henry says this made it hard for him to focus on school and stay off the streets. He says it got so bad, he was in jeopardy of not graduating at all but this year something changed. “Finally I had a feeling that somebody really wants to believe in me.”

School counselor Tanisha Johnson came into Enoch’s life at the beginning of the year. “We call him the gentile giant because of his quiet and shy nature but behind the scenes, he's very passionate and motivated about succeeding in life.’

With the help of Johnson and a work-study program offered by the school, Henry realized he had a chance at success. He started playing football for his high school and began studying medicine. He says, “It really like opened the door for me and let me see that I really liked medicine and since I love sports, I wanted to do sports medicine.”

Johnson says, “His story is one that really touched me because you could see the progression.”

And that's exactly what Henry is determined to do, keep progressing with or without the support of his family. “I always told them I’m going prove you wrong.”

Henry is graduating tonight and plans to attend medical school at the UR.

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