Ashland High School valedictorian on dancing, acting and overcoming challenges from cerebral palsy

Luke Hogan Laurenson graduated with a straight As from Ashland High School and gave a valedictorian speech at his graduation earlier this month. His high achievements are especially remarkable given the challenges he overcomes every day. Laurenson was born with a form of cerebral palsy that makes speech and movement difficult. Doctors told his mother that he would never be able to walk and would likely spend most of his life in an institution. But as he said in his graduation speech, he just “never believed that.” He walked by himself at age 12 and shortly thereafter, danced by himself. A video of him dancing to Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” went viral.

Laurenson has also acted in roles with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and at his high school. We talk with Laurenson and his mother, Jane Hogan, about his life and his post-high school plans, which include traveling the country to share his experience and what inspires him.