One of the newest members of the State Bar of Texas is Italy resident Keland D. Lewis. Nephew of Mayor Frank Jackson and son of Gerald Jackson of Italy and Doretha Jackson of Lancaster, Lewis worked hard to be where he is today with the support and endorsement of his family and friends. Perhaps not the first lawyer hailing from Italy, Texas but certainly a fine representative to watch.

Lewis attended Italy schools during his formative years-Stafford to IHS and graduated with the class of 2000. He traveled south down Interstate 35 until he reached Austin, Texas where he attended University of Texas, graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Government with a minor in History. He then moved on to Houston and attended Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law and graduated cum laude in May of 2008. Lewis says, “My family and friends have been tremendous influences in my life. They have taught me to always aspire to higher goals and to dream big without limitations. Hard work is the only way to achieve success.” Keland plans on practicing law in the Metroplex for many years to come.

During high school, Keland was studious and academically inclined. He owes a lot of his dedication to the influences around him. In elementary, Lewis remembers a couple of teachers that helped him through the younger years, “Most of the teachers that I had at Stafford each made an impression on me. But I would say that Sid Reeves and Cheryl Owen made the most lasting impressions on me. I will always remember them, even though I am still not that good at math.”

When someone mentions the glory days of high school, Lewis remembers a few teachers from the old gold and white, “Most of the teachers that I had at IHS made some type of difference. I was blessed to be at IHS at a time when most of the teachers really took a personal stake in the success of individual students, but I must acknowledge Ms. Moreland, Mrs. Killough, Mrs. Bridge, Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Lawson as a few of the many teachers who helped me along the way.”

In talking with Marjorie Bridge, biology teacher at IHS, she reminisces about Keland, “Having Keland Lewis as a student has been one of my fondest memories as a teacher. He was not only a highly intelligent young man, but also a great person. He always had a smile on his face and was ready to joke
around with all of us. He was in the National Honor Society when Mrs.
Killough and I were the sponsors and he was one of our most dependable
and hardest workers. Whatever we asked of him, he happily completed. He
was a member of my first Small Schools team to place at the State meet.
Adam Alvarez, Keland and Joseph Phillips were a perfect fit as a team.
I can still see Keland competing. It was the late round of the Area
competition and he had his cap on his head. I should have made him take
it off at the start but it was his thinking cap and he was answering a
lot of questions so I didn’t want to break his train of thought. He
came up to his desk to answer his last set of questions in that last
round and his cap was now on backwards and he was sitting on the edge
of his chair staring at that screen ready to win that competition. We
all laughed thinking ’Keland’s getting’ serious!!’ I am so proud of
him. As teachers, we want all of our students to succeed as Keland has
done. Many times we are disappointed, but Keland has never been a
disappointment.”

Another excited teacher to talk about Keland is Vivian Moreland, english teacher at IHS, “Wow! Keland is definitely one of the success stories from our Italy graduates. I have very fond memories of Keland accompanying me and others to Europe when he was a sophomore in high school. It was his first time flying and it became an extraordinary experience for him. He toured Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France and England. After graduation, he attended UT Austin and was very helpful to my daughter, Krystle, when she attended there two years later. I’ll be forever grateful for the guidance he gave to her. They have remained close friends through the years. Keland is a remarkable young man who never let the stumbling blocks slow him down. He set out to become a lawyer and has not missed a beat in that direction since he decided that path. He knew right from the start what he wanted to do, where he wanted to go and what he had to do to get there. I certainly wish Keland the best for he will always remain one of my inspirations that I speak of constantly to other students who desire and have the same passion for life as he.”

Keland is a hard worker and a fine example of what our future generations should model. He issued these beneficial words of advise to the upcoming graduates and students, “I would tell the students in Italy to always dream big and realize there are no short cuts to your dream. Only hard work and focus will get you to your goals and the only limitations that you have are the ones that you place on yourself.”