Nothing can stop a determined mind!
17-year-old Kenyari Sawyer’s uncommon determination has set her high above the sky.
Although admitting to thinking she wasn’t smart enough, she decided she needed to go above and beyond.
The student at Monroe Comprehensive High School, to get her dream of going off to college decided she wouldn’t take chances and in August 2021 began applying to almost 100 colleges and universities!
“I thought I wasn’t smart enough. It’s a hard process and I have been denied by one of my schools, and it was Mercer University. And so after I got denied, I just thought I might not get accepted into anymore. It was a setback,” Kenyari told reporters.
Well it paid off big, the determined teen has now bagged 48 of the 92 schools
Speaking with FOX 31, she explained how it all started:
“I started applying on Aug. 1. The first two colleges I applied to were Cleveland and Mississippi, and I did not think I was going to get accepted into those. Then I was like, ‘This is how it goes? This is an easy process,’ and I just started going from there,” Kenyari Sawyer said, FOX 31 reports.
“First, I applied to the school and they reward scholarships based on financial need and merit and most of my scholarships are based on my academic behavior,” she explained.
An overwhelmed Kenyari disclosed she was inspired to go to college based on her mother’s experience.
“I wanted to go to school because she wasn’t able to at the time. She was only able to receive her associate’s degree but it was at a later time because she had to take care of me,” said Kenyari.
Super proud of her achievements so far, she expresses delight that her accomplishments seem to be inspiring her peers at school.
“It is encouraging to them because when I walk around the school, they be saying, ‘I’m trying to get like you.’ So, it’s encouraging to see somebody that is actually looking up to me because I never thought that no one looks at me in that way,” said Kenyari.
Principal Frederick Polite spoke about Kenyari’s achievement, saying she’s set the standard at Monroe.
“That’s what we expect from all of our students at Monroe High School. We’re pushing every student to be college and career-ready. She’s on that college side and she’s getting the other classmates involved. She’s that person that’s standing in front of them to make sure her peers are pulled up with her,” said Polite.
The future for Kenyari is to become a defense attorney and start her law firm. Although she is yet to make a decision on the school to attend, Kenyari said she’s looking at Howard, Spelman or the University of Georgia.
