School: John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY

Kenyatta, at 17, just will be a senior at John Jay College this fall. Coming from a single parent home and living in an impoverished neighborhood, Kenyatta has met with many challenges in his young life. He has always worked and been determined, along with keeping high aspirations and academic achievements in his young life. Starting school at 3 years old, he was placed in the gifted program from Kindergarten to 5th grade where his unique qualities and high intelligence were evident. In middle school, he was also placed in the Britou-Moore Academy, where he remained in their vigorous gifted program from 6th to 8th grade. He also found time to be on the soccer team and participated in New York State’s STEP competition (Science and Technology Entry Program) with a partner and received first place in the biology category. From there, it accelerated for Kenyatta.

After being accepted to Kingsborough Early College Secondary School, he subsequently graduated in 3 years at 16 years old with a high school diploma and an Associate degree in Liberal Arts. While in high school for those years, he was actively involved with higher level academic activities as well as making it into the baseball team where they were in the playoffs. Kenyatta is a prime example of a brainy athlete. Now at John Jay, he is a Peer Ambassador and an active member in the Urban Male Initiative (UMI). His projected graduation is spring 2017, with a bachelor’s degree in Forensic Psychology – and will still be a teenager.