These graduating seniors are on their way to college with full academic scholarships. We asked metro Atlanta school officials to put us in touch with high-achieving students so we could share their stories with other students and parents. Please see myajc.com for all the student profiles.
Abhhinaya Uthayakumar, 18
Milton High School, Fulton County
College and major: University of Pittsburgh, undecided
Biggest inspiration to do well in school: Mademoiselle Steinhauer (former French teacher)
When, where and how often did you study: “At home after dance or any clubs and studied for tests.”
Number of AP classes: 12
Advice to other students: “Be an all-rounder. Academics isn’t everything — it’s still important, though. Make sure to be active in the community and take leadership into account. Make meaningful friendships! These will take you far in life.”
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Jonathon Beausejour, 18
North Cobb High School, Cobb County
College and major: Life University, biology major
Biggest inspiration to do well in school: “My parents.”
Number of AP classes: Three
How did you balance school with other activities: “I would cut out any unnecessary things like TV and social media. I would base these things around my academic schedule.”
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Jae Won Shin, 18
South Forsyth High School, Forsyth County
College and major: Georgia Tech, public policy
Biggest inspiration to do well in school: “My father brought my family to this country to give me the best education and thus worked hard to support our family. He currently works as an accountant and during tax seasons from January to April, he works many times from 9 a.m. to past 2 a.m. However, a few years ago, around 2009, my father was diagnosed with diabetes from stress and eating unhealthy foods. He always loved food and was the man who fed me my first ice cream, my first cookie, and really any food one could ever think of. Now he lives on a strict diet. The way my father has sacrificed himself like that for my family and my education has always left an impact on me.”
Number of AP classes: 15
Advice for other students: “Always take advantage of the resources available to you. For example, my AP English teacher, Ms. Satterfield, was a great teacher for me. I would go ask her before and after school on ways I could make my essays better and soon, I improved. I even received a 5 on the AP English exam.”
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Sanjida Mowla, 18
Grady High School, Atlanta Public Schools
College and major: University of Georgia, psychology
Amount of scholarship offer: Gates Millennium Scholarship covers all expenses
When did you first become serious about your education: “I remember getting all A’s in 5th grade and just feeling elated. Ever since then, I have always tried my hardest not just to make good grades, but just to do well in school.
How many AP classes: Five.
How did you balance school with other activities: “I usually have a hard time balancing work and extracurricular activities, but I found it easy once I started doing things I truly enjoy like writing for VOX Teen Communications and volunteering with clubs at school.”
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Kourtney R. Mosley, 18
Booker T. Washington High School-Banking, Finance and Investment, Atlanta Public Schools
College and intended major: Brandeis University, mathematics
When did you first become serious about your education: “In elementary school because growing up in a low-income household I knew the importance of an education and this was my way of getting out of my situation.”
When, where and how often did you study: “I studied every day. At times we didn’t have lights but I used a street light that was near my window as my lamp. Most of the time I spent late afternoons in the quietness of my school building completing assignments.”
How many advanced placement courses did you take: Three.
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Freedom Wright, 17
Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School (lives in Ellenwood)
College and intended major: Syracuse University, forensic science and sociology
Amount of scholarship offer: $167,000
When did you first become serious about your education: “After my freshman year in high school. I did not try as hard as I should have because I did not think I was smart like some of the other students in my class, so in turn, I did not take my freshman year as seriously as I should have. I realized that I did not need to compare myself to others, but rather I needed to try my best and my hard work would speak for itself.”
Number of AP classes: Three
How did you balance school with other activities: “I had strong time-management skills in high school, so during the week I was able to finish a lot of projects and assignments prior to the deadlines. I used my weekends to participate in extra-curricular activities, such as community service and golf.”
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Amiri Banks, 18
Chamblee Charter High School, DeKalb County
College and major: Cornell University, biology
When did you first become serious about your education: “Upon leaving my magnet school and arriving at Chamblee Middle in seventh grade. I realized then that my academic performance from then on would be the key to pursuing my passion: the study of life.”
Biggest inspiration to do well in school: “I was … pushed to excellence by my mom, who herself acquired her E.d.s and is constantly working to improve her strengths while working on her weaknesses.”
Number of AP classes: Six
Advice for other students: “Care less. My peers often ask what I did, and if I perhaps sacrificed things like health or a social life but I didn’t. I just spent 90 percent of my time not stressing out about anything that was not immediately happening in my life. I did the work as best I could and read the textbooks when others wouldn’t. Most important, I refused to concern myself with trivial social things or people’s insignificant opinions of me.”
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Diana Powers, 18
Henry W Grady High School, Atlanta Public Schools
College of Wooster, social work
Amount of scholarship offer: $168,000
When did you first become serious about your education: “Around sophomore year when I began to volunteer at my local food bank every month. It made me more aware of issues that are overlooked in the city of Atlanta, such as the waste of food and mistreatment of the poor. I realized the capability I have to be a positive influence in other’s lives, and decided that I should use my education as a tool to create necessary change.”
Biggest motivation to do well in school: “My older brother Ben always exceeded expectations and set forth high goals for me to achieve. He also received the Posse Scholarship, and his success inspired me to become the most successful person I can be.”
Number of AP classes: Four
Advice for other students: “There’s a great quote by the author Mark Twain that says, ‘I never let my schooling interfere with my education.’ This … highlights the importance of students accomplishing goals independently. You can learn nothing more valuable than the real life skills of going out into the world and doing something meaningful; for me, it was becoming directly involved with the needy in my community.”
Demetrius Moore, 17
Therrell High School (STEMS), Atlanta Public Schools
College and intended major: Texas A&M University – civil engineering
Biggest motivation to do well in school: “My older brother. Throughout his early years of life, he made a lot of mistakes and I was always considered the child with a more promising future. However, my brother was able to send his life on another direction, and ended up going to college. I am always inspired to, at the worst, not do worse than my brother. Now that he is doing well, I must work even harder to at least reach his level of success.”
Number of AP classes: Seven
Advice for other students: “It is important to have a plan. It is not enough to just want to do well in school, most people want to do well, but you must establish a rational plan that will help you do better in school.”
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Zach Colenote, 18
Marietta High School, Marietta City Schools
College and major: Georgia Tech, industrial engineering
When did you become serious about your education: “Very early in life. I thought earning 99 percentile on my 3rd-grade Iowa Test of Basic Skills would help me get into Georgia Tech.”
Biggest motivation to do well in school: “My parents’ perspective made me realize that good things come to those who do well – conversely, beware of bad behavior.”
How did you balance school with other activities: “I didn’t have a job in high school. I balanced academics and extracurricular activities by throwing a lot of hours at both.”
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Hanfei Wang, 18
Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, Gwinnett County
College and major: Vanderbilt University, biology or chemistry
Biggest inspiration to do well in school: “I had a middle school teacher named Linda Koch, who taught 7th-grade gifted social studies, who encouraged me to do quiz bowl, which I am the team captain of at GSMST, as well as get involved in other activities that I was interested in. She served as an admirable teacher, friend, and mentor for me throughout the years.”
Number of AP classes: 13
Advice for other students: “Don’t get sidetracked or derailed by any obstacle, whether it be difficulties with family and friends, lack of self-confidence or external peer pressure.”
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