Every year, graduates leave St. Augustine High School ready to chase their goals and make an impact. For Lee Cogar, Class of 2024, that impact started almost immediately. Just one year after walking across the stage, Lee has already stepped into a career where he is helping protect and serve his community.
At SAHS, Lee found his place in the Academy of Law and Homeland Security. He did more than sit in a classroom learning about the justice system. He dove in and took advantage of every opportunity. As a student leader, he served as an officer in both the Florida Public Safety Association and the Criminal Justice Club, where he worked as the IT Specialist. He also put his skills to the test in competitions, bringing home medals two years in a row at the Northeast Florida Criminal Justice Competition in Orlando.
One of the biggest turning points for Lee came during the 911 Dispatcher course. Training on simulators and shadowing dispatchers at the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office gave him a real look at the intensity and responsibility of emergency communications. Lee rose to the challenge, passing the Florida Telecommunicator’s Exam with an impressive 93 percent. That score earned him state certification through the Department of Health and opened the door to his first full-time role after graduation. Today, he works as a dispatcher with the Sheriff’s Office Communications Division, taking calls and coordinating responses that save lives.
Looking back, Lee credits the Academy of Law and Homeland Security for helping him find his calling early. The program gave him practical skills, real-world connections, and the confidence to jump straight into public safety work.
This year, Lee will return to St. Augustine High School, not as a student, but as a guest speaker. He will stand in front of the next wave of Yellow Jackets, sharing how his path unfolded and encouraging them to follow their own. His story is proof that when students are given opportunities to explore their passions, they do not just prepare for the future. They step into it, ready to make a difference.