B.E.S.T. Academy High School senior Kendrell Wilkins, Jr., is the youngest of four children, and on May 21, he will become the first in his family to graduate from high school.
“My grandmother, mom, uncles and aunts all had to drop out of school because they had kids, but I decided that the curse will stop with me,” said Kendrell, 18, who will graduate with a 3.0 GPA. “That’s why I decided that I’m not just going to stop at a high school diploma. I’m going to attend college and get a degree and make something of myself.”
Armed with a determined spirit and positive attitude, Kendrell will attend Georgia Gwinnett College, where he plans to study business administration and accounting. His ultimate goal is to become an accountant and real estate agent.
Aside from his career goals, Kendrell is more determined than ever to create his own path. This includes not following in the footsteps of his two older brothers, who are incarcerated, and his sister, who had a baby at the age of 18.
“I want to break the chain,” he said. “I want to be something in life and leave something behind for my family and build wealth.”
| College/University | Georgia Gwinnett College |
| Intended Major | Business Administration and Accounting |
| Career Goal | Accountant & Real Estate Agent |
| Awards/Recognition | Achieve Atlanta Scholarship |
Atlanta Public Schools will host high school commencement exercises Saturday, May 18 – Friday, May 24, 2019. All ceremonies — except Atlanta Classical Academy and Charles R. Drew Charter School — will be held at Georgia Institute of Technology, McCamish Pavilion,965 Fowler Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318. For more information on commencement exercises, go to www.atlantapublicschools.us/gradnation.
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