(CEDAR HILL, TEXAS) Last semester, Cedar Hill High School junior Isaiah Jefferson became the only Early College Academy (ECA) scholar to earn a spot on the Dallas College Chancellor’s Honor Roll (3.8 to 4.0 grade point average) with at least 12 hours.
This semester, he’s taking 15 credit hours. That doesn’t even count the 12 hours he takes each summer – split between two summer sessions.
There’s a method to Jefferson’s significant dual-credit coursework.
“I want to become a Pediatric Surgeon – I’ve always been interested in surgery,” Jefferson said. “Time management has been important. I’m never behind and always ahead.”
When Jefferson graduates from Cedar Hill High School next spring, he’ll earn an Associate’s Degree from Dallas College. And he’ll have enough college credit hours to begin his college years as a second-semester junior.
He plans to graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree at age 19.
Jefferson, who ranks 14th in the CHHS Class of 2025, would like to attend Johns Hopkins, Tulane, Rice, or Texas A&M.
Jefferson has a personal reason for wanting to work in the medical field. He suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was 2 years old, living in New York.
“I want to be able to help kids recover from injuries,” Jefferson said. “What happened to me doesn’t have to hold you back or define you. It doesn’t affect me today, although sometimes my brain works faster than my mouth can speak.”
Jefferson moved to Cedar Hill in the first grade and began attending Waterford Oaks Elementary as a first grader in 2013 before matriculating to Permenter Middle School.
He chose the ECA Pathway, so he could stay involved in the Cedar Hill Theatre Program. He’s working on the lights for the upcoming One Act Play, and he played JoJo in the recent musical production of “Seussical.”
Jefferson also serves as a State Ambassador for Texas Thespians, representing 13,000 student actors.
Despite his love for theatre, he’ll only continue it beyond high school on a recreational level.
“He has plans to pursue a career in the medical field but has also filled his high school schedule full of Theatre courses and rehearsals for productions,” CHISD Theatre Director Bethany Kennedy said. I believe that his time in our Theatre program has allowed him to acquire the problem-solving and interpersonal skills to be successful in the medical field
