"Over 40 Scholarship Offers": Brilliant Nigerian Boy Beats 2648 Graduates, Gets Honoured by US School

"Over 40 Scholarship Offers": Brilliant Nigerian Boy Beats 2648 Graduates, Gets Honoured by US School

  • A Nigerian boy, Achunike Okafor, has been honoured by a school in the United States after emerging as the best student
  • The brilliant student has also received over 40 scholarship offers from different top universities following his record-breaking feat
  • It was gathered that the young man beat 2649 graduates with a record-shattering 4.625-grade point average

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A Nigerian boy, Achunike Okafor, has been honoured by Science Park High School in Newark, New Jersey, for his extraordinary performance.

According to TapIntoNewark, an online newspaper, Okafor received an International Baccalaureate diploma with a record-shattering 4.625-grade point average.

Brilliant Nigerian boy gets over 40 scholarship offers
Brilliant Nigerian boy gets over 40 scholarship offers Photo credit: TapIntoNewark, Google Images
Source: UGC

Okafor's GPA is the highest among Newark's 2,649 graduates in the Class of 2023 and the highest for the city public school district.

His achievement has earned him more than 40 scholarship offers, many from the nation's top universities, including Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Princeton, Penn State, Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Southern California, and Rutgers.

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Okafor expressed gratitude for the opportunities to attend prestigious universities and represent his family and community.

He said:

"I do not take lightly the privilege and responsibility to be among the few individuals selected for such honours."

The 18-year-old plans to attend Harvard University to pursue a neuroscience degree.

Science Park principal Darlene Gearhart described Okafor as an extraordinary individual who is humble, driven, and industrious.

She said:

"There's absolutely nothing average about him. He has always been a great kid and is always eager to learn."

Superintendent of Schools Roger León acknowledged Okafor's exceptional performance as a source of pride for Science Park High, the school district, and the Newark community.

“We are extremely proud of Achunike Okafor. His achievements are a testament to his perseverance, resilience, and dedication to excellence. We wish him continued success at Harvard and look forward to more accomplishments from him in the future,” León said.

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Achunike's father, Godfrey Okafor, expressed his family's pride in his son's achievements.

He emphasised the importance of education in their home and how it enables young people to provide for themselves and their families while building their future.

As a high school math teacher, he believes in the value of learning throughout life.

Godfrey Okafor's five other children, including two older sons and three daughters, are pursuing computer engineering, pharmacology, nursing, and law degrees.

Outside of the classroom, Achunike held several leadership positions, including co-founder of the Science Club, vice president of the Junior Student Council and Stand & Deliver Club, president of the Future Educators Club and Black Student Union, co-captain of the robotics team, and treasurer of the Environmental Club.

Man bags Oxford and Harvard scholarships

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Destiny Osayi Ogedegbe, a young man, has taken to social media to celebrate receiving scholarships to Harvard University and Oxford University.

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The Nigerian, in a series of tweets, revealed that the two prestigious institutions happened to be the only two schools he ever put in for graduate studies.

On his parents' reactions to his academic feat, Destiny said it was a case of mixed feelings. He said they were excited and also pleasantly confused, and this is due to their humble background.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Ankrah Shalom avatar

Ankrah Shalom (Human-Interest editor) Shalom Ankrah is a journalist and a Human Interest Editor at Legit.ng with over three years of experience. She has a degree in Mass communication from Alex Ekwueme University. Shalom has worked with reputable news organizations including The Tide and GistReel. Email: ankrah.shalom@corp.legit.ng.