I’m focused on showing black excellence to the UI readership and this is a terrific story that demonstrates just that. A young black male from New York was accepted to all 8 Ivy League schools. A top notched feat to say the less.
Coming from a parent whose child is finishing up the 11th grade and starting to apply to schools (my son is the one that got a 35 on his ACT exam at 15), I know just how HUGE of a feat and opportunity this is for this young man and his family.
Harold Ekeh, of Long Island, NY, is the young man who pulled off the perfect acceptance to the Ivy League Universities. The Elmont High School salutatorian is faced with a big decision in the near future, but talked about receiving the acceptance letters from all 8 Ivy League Universities, speaking to CBS New York.
“Absolutely shocked,” Ekeh tells the television news station about the acceptances. “It was as though I was hit repeatedly. I was stunned.”
Ekeh’s family immigrated to New York eight short years ago from Nigeria and dreamed of their son doing well in school and get into some of the best Universities America has to offer. But the young man credits his academic success to his family’s meager beginnings, hunger for education, and desire to make a mark on society.
“I am just thanking god for what he is doing for my family in the life of my son,” Harold’s mother Roseline told CBS News. She works for a human resources agency in Queens, N.Y., while his father Paul works in the traffic division of the New York Police Department.
“I am overwhelmed,” Paul tells the news outlet. “To say that I am proud is not enough, it is awesome.”
What is great about young Harold is he is a well rounded student, not just a book worm without any social skills. The young man spend most of his years in high school working on biochemistry experiments, but also volunteered on social justice campaigns, mentored, and participated in sports. He was elected to the Elmont’s homecoming court and honor society.
“Kids would say, ‘I want to be a firefighter or a police officer or a superhero.’ I would say I want to explore the human body, what makes us who we are,” he said, “I would like to be a neurosurgeon when I grow up.”
Ekeh has a very tough decision to make on the horizon, but says he is leaning towards Yale. However, rather than making a rash decision, he is going to visit a few other schools in the upcoming weeks.
“I am very humbled by this,” he said. “I see this as not an accomplishment for me, but as an accomplishment for my school, my community. Because I really see this as my mission to inspire the next generation.”
I will continue to scream it from the rooftops, if we are willing to put work, time, love and energy into our children, they can do ANYTHING! The question is will YOU, WE & ME step up to the plate and put the work into our children?
SOUND OFF: What do you think of this young man’s accomplishment of being accepted into all 8 Ivy League Universities?
Source: The Root
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