Ever since joining Higher Achievement, Ma’Kya set her sights on attending Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, a competitive STEM magnet school in the city.
Ma’Kya positioned herself for success: taking honor roll classes, joining several clubs, and participating in the Maryland Science Olympiad. On top of a rigorous academic schedule, Ma’Kya made time to tutor younger students to ensure they also had the opportunity to enter into top tier high schools.
Higher Achievement encouraged Ma’Kya in her personal and academic growth and provided the resources needed to bring her dreams to life. Achievement Center staff coached her on the high school placement process and connected her with an alum at Poly who shared their insights and experiences. Ma’Kya’s mentors took her to high school fairs and stood by her as she worked to realize her dream of one day pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Ma’Kya’s spent her summer working virtually at the National Aquarium, where she learned about oceanic wildlife and what it means to have and handle professional responsibilities. This fall, Ma’Kya will join Poly’s freshman class and is poised for a bright future. She is already enrolled in Project Lead the Way, an advanced engineering course empowering students to become independent, confident problem solvers.
At Higher Achievement, we know that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Your financial support ensures scholars like Ma’Kya have the encouragement to dream big and the opportunities to bring those dreams to life.