She’s going places!
A Georgia senior got accepted into more than 80 colleges and awarded $2.2 million in scholarships, Black Enterprise reports.
Aylah Birks is a senior at Twiggs County High School in Georgia. The scholar holds a 4.0 GPA, is a published author, and a finalist for the Gates Scholarship. Her high school tenure has been successful, and she is more than proud of herself, but it has not been without challenges. She has dealt with an ailing grandparent and bullying from other students during her education journey.
“I especially could not participate in as many extracurricular activities as I would like to, but I still maintained that grasp in school, and my mother couldn’t be as present as she is now in my extracurricular activities because she was so busy supporting [my grandparent] and I completely understand. It was not easy, and you will have no idea how many long nights I stayed up trying to find out the information for myself on college deadlines, college admission expectations, what to do, what not to do,” Birks recalled.
Nonetheless, she persisted, even becoming an anti-bullying advocate in the process.
“I was often bullied, and I didn’t understand why, but when you’re bullied…people see something in you that they don’t see in themselves,” she said.
Birks’ book, Perspectives Through the Looking Glass, shares personal stories and poetry, allowing readers to get a glimpse into her world while also understanding more about what it means to be a determined young person.
The senior is grateful for all of the opportunities and scholarship money she has received. She plans to choose between Clemson and Mercer and is looking to major in behavioral neuroscience and legal studies with a minor in communications and public health.
We are wishing you the best luck! Congratulations, Aylah!
Photo Courtesy of LinkedIn/Black Enterprise