A Black Chicago high-schooler has been accepted into an astounding 19 colleges and offered over $500,000 in scholarships and financial aid, an accomplishment made even more special because she was diagnosed with autism as a child.
Kymera Mitchell has always excelled in academics, maintaining a 4.0 GPA as a student at Alcott College Prep, from which she graduated in May. The 18-year-old now is sorting through 19 acceptance letters from institutions such as DePaul, Loyola, Howard and Hampton universities. The offers include nine full-ride scholarships.
“Every year, she was on the honor roll. And with each year, she just got better,” Kalaveeta Mitchell, her mother, told ABC 7 Chicago.
Mitchell has never let her autism diagnosis define or limit her. In addition to excelling in school, she has also participated in the Special Olympics and competed in floor hockey, and track and field.
“The medals kept building, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ One year I started counting, and I was like, there are 30-something medals here,” her mother said.
The academically gifted teenager plans to study graphic design in college, and she said she would announce her college choice on June 10 during a celebration with family and friends.
Mitchell also offered words of wisdom to other students with disabilities: “If someone or a group of people try to stop you, don’t let them do that because you are way better than that,” she told ABC 7 Chicago.
She added that it was essential for students with disabilities to pursue their dreams despite the naysayers, especially naysayers who don’t share their challenges.
“I wouldn’t let anyone who doesn’t have a disability try and stop me from what I’m doing,” she told CBS News. “To live your hopes and dreams as much as you can, don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do this.”
Source: Afro News