GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. — His brother’s health challenges have inspired a Grain Valley senior to go above and beyond the normal high school course load.
Mason Gray is a busy guy. His dream is to go to medical school and become a surgeon specializing in pediatrics.
In order to make that happen, in his senior year of high school, he’s taking AP chemistry, AP biology, pre-calculus and a medical program through Truman Medical Centers.
It’s a tough load of classes, but Gray said he can handle it.
“As long as you take enough time to work for what you want, you’ll get there,” he said.
His motivation? His younger brother has Tourette Syndrome and diabetes.
“If I were able to help someone at any age and change their life through surgery or something, then I would want to do that,” he said.
His principal said he thinks the Grain Valley teen will make an excellent doctor.
“He’s a leader kind of in his own path,” Jeremy Plowman said. “If there’s something he thinks is right or interesting, he’s going to pursue it nonstop.”
The straight-A student has been noticed by his teachers for his work ethic.
“Probably more important than how he does grade-wise is just how curious he’s intellectually. He wants to learn,” Plowman said.
And with college at Wichita State and medical school on the horizon, Gray has plenty to learn.
“I’m confident I can do it,” he said.
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