Over the past four years, you could always count on seeing one smiling face roaming Taylor Preparatory High School's halls: 2025 graduate Makhai Spencer.
His glowing grin and booming voice were a constant as Spencer spent his time participating in or attending most Taylor Prep events. When he wasn’t busy singing in the choir, playing percussion in the band, or serving his community as President of the school’s National Honor Society, Spencer was supporting his classmates.
His support was crucial in setting up for student events and assisting with Step Up days, when incoming high schoolers at NHA partner-schools toured Taylor Prep. Spencer said he enjoyed helping bring Taylor Prep to new scholars.
Spencer is headed to Kalamazoo to study music education at Western Michigan University.
“I helped run Sneaker Ball,” Spencer said. “We had a sweetheart dance for our NHA partner-schools and I helped with Step Up days. I liked to interact with the kids and show them what the experience can be.”
During the school day, Spencer spent his time between periods greeting his classmates in front of his class and reminding them how much time was left before the bell rang. Sharpening these leadership skills at a young age will serve him well in his future career as a music educator.
Spencer is set to attend Western Michigan University in the fall and plans on studying music education. He said his end goal is to teach music at the college level. When deciding his future plans, Spencer said he only applied to Western Michigan because he knew that’s where he was supposed to be.
The multi-talented musician and vocal artist said his passion for music came from his family and his time in church. Spencer said of all the passions his parents have, music was what resonated most for him.
Spencer (left) and Efeomo Ekogiawe set up for a National Honor Society after-school event.
“My dad was an MVP in basketball and my mom played it, too,” Spencer said. “Sports didn’t really come to me the way music did. It was easy but it was intriguing, and I found it to be a challenge. But it was a challenge I knew I could overcome.”
His next adventure in Kalamazoo will present itself with new challenges for Spencer but he is ready to take them on thanks to the courage and perseverance he developed at Taylor Prep, which has outperformed the district for the last two years.
Spencer said he is sad to be leaving the school but has been intentional about the legacy he wants to leave behind.
“I tried to think about: ‘What can I do to make a difference or an impact?’, so that when people walk out of here, they won’t forget me,” Spencer said. “Even if they forget me, they’ll remember what I said and how I made them feel. I’m trying to set it up so when I leave, my classmates can make an impact.”
One of Spencer’s goals in high school was to ensure his classmates remembered the things he said and how he made them feel.
Congratulations, and best of luck, Makhai!
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About Taylor Preparatory High School
Taylor Preparatory High School is a tuition-free, public charter school in Taylor, Michigan, serving students in ninth through 12th grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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