STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Heritage High School 12th Grader Marcus Dozier
Balances a well-rounded school experience
Published May 27, 2026
Marcus Dozier has gathered enormous experience through immersing himself in all the varied activities offered to Newport News Public Schools students.
He will graduate from Heritage High School in June with a well-balanced education and carry all of the skills he has learned forward into his next chapter. Dozier is exceptionally well-rounded and has positively impacted and influenced the culture of Heritage since his freshman year, according to school leaders.
“I’m an athlete, but that’s not all,” Dozier said. “I’m in the yearbook club. I do a lot of other things around the school. And I think it’s important to have that balance.”
His activities include the Principal’s Advisory Group on Education, Student Athlete Leadership Team, senior class historian, yearbook committee and playing sports in all three seasons on the volleyball and indoor and outdoor track and field teams.
Dozier has worked the last two summers in the NNPS STEAM Center as a Career Pathways summer intern. Outside of school, he assists with youth programs at his church.
“All of them have been meaningful for me because all of the relationships,” Dozier said. “And the leadership aspect of everything has just helped me grow as a person.
“Leadership is important because other students need to see what a good student and a good role model is so they can follow behind and just see OK, this is what a good student can do.”
Dozier grew into that role despite being someone who shies away from attention. His personality has developed since middle school, he said.
“I’m more outspoken,” Dozier said. “I’m less shy approaching new people and I’m out of my shell more throughout high school. I’ve definitely gotten out of my shell.”
His experience attending NNPS since first grade has been valuable.
“I’ve met a lot of people from a lot of different cultures, a lot of different races,” Dozier said. “Just being kind to everybody and being open to everything just helps you get along with people more.”
His advice for students trying to become more interested in school is simple.
“One thing that can motivate you to go to school is get a group of friends that you enjoy talking to every day,” Dozier said. “But they can also hold you accountable doing your work.”
Dozier also has his own motivation.
“To keep going in sports and in school in general, what motivates me the most is just making my parents proud,” Dozier said. “And it’s not like a life or death thing to where I’m stressing to make them proud.
“Because I know that even with shortcomings, they’re always going to support me no matter what. But I just want to make sure that I’m giving 100% for them because they’re giving 100% for me.”
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