And she still has more decision letters rolling in!
Candace Stratford told WCCB Charlotte reporters that she knew her daughter Aniya Richardson was exceptional since she was in the 5th grade.
“I don’t think there is one thing that I can name that she tried to do that she was not really good at,” Stratford explained.
A polymath, that proclivity for excellence has continued to follow Aniya all the way through high school, the teen also becoming a self-taught musician.
“I started teaching myself guitar. I did violin my freshman year and then I tried to learn drums this year and I’m kind of getting the hang of it,” she said.
When she’s not playing music or learning new skills, Aniya is in her books, the West Cabarrus High School senior set to graduate this spring with a 4.2 GPA. In addition to her stellar academic marks, Aniya is also very active outside of her studies, serving as a member of the school’s marching band, National Spanish Honor Society, and Future Business Leaders of America.
Now she’s succeeded in achieving her greatest accomplishment to date, the scholar earning acceptance letters to 28 colleges and receiving $2.1 million in scholarship offers. She’s still waiting on a couple more colleges to make their decisions before she chooses which one she’ll attend. As it stands, she has offers from Howard University, UNC Charlotte, Clemson, Spelman College and Tuskegee University. Aniya’s ultimate goal is to become a therapist who helps counsel patients battling cancer alone. But for now, she just wants to serve as an inspiration for others, mainly her family members to know that they can do it too.
“I want to just take that pathway and have [them] follow in my footsteps so [they] could be successful as well,” said Aniya.
While the teen is finalizing her college plans and finishing up her last semester in high school, Aniya’s family is supporting her by launching a GoFundMe that will help cover any extra college expenses.
“I don’t take it for granted and appreciate all the opportunities that have been awarded to me thus far. I’ll graduate in the top elite percentage of my graduating class in June…I’ve put in exceptional effort in the hopes that my academic profile demonstrates my dedication and commitment to academic excellence,” reads a message from Aniya on the fundraising site.
To support her road to college, click here. Congratulations Aniya! The sky’s the limit!
Cover photo: North Carolina student gets accepted to 28 colleges, receives $2.1m in scholarships/Photo Courtesy of WCCB Charlotte