A 2016 graduate of Holland High School, David is majoring in Computer Science at Michigan State University.
He says he was just six years old when he began noticing on television that minorities weren’t often pictured as successful people. Ever since, he has had a goal to show that he and other minorities can succeed.
But how? David kept an eye on his sister who did very well in school. She became his role model for achieving and set the academic bar very high. In fact, it was the beginning of a friendly competition to do as well, or better, than she did!
David was recommended by counselors at Holland High School and the Careerline Tech Center where he took a class in Web and Game Development. His CTC counselor had this to say about David:
“David participated in a group that met to read and discuss The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People. Reading this book and discussing it with other students who were in similar situations helped him see that he had control over his future. And showed him the importance of making choices which would lead him to his goals. David’s optimism and lack of pretentiousness set him apart from others and I am confident he will have a successful future.”
“Do everything in your power to minimize those challenges, like applying for as many scholarships as possible if it’s a financial problem or getting a tutor if it’s more of a learning challenge.”
– David
What did receiving the H/Z Promise Scholarship mean to David?
“I really appreciate being able to receive this help. I know that college would have been a lot tougher and more stressful for both me and my family if we had to worry about money along the way. I know I will be putting this money to good use to further my education and hopefully one day I will donate alongside the rest of you!”
David’s advice to high school students:
“Do everything in your power to minimize those challenges, like applying for as many scholarships as possible if it’s a financial problem or getting a tutor if it’s more of a learning challenge.”
