Blake Gooden has options. He continues to transform himself, adapting to new spaces, bringing along his intellect and high energy. His journey has been quite the learning lesson, but he plans to take what he has learned and apply it on the campus of the University of Georgia.
“It was a different dynamic coming to Maynard Jackson. I come from a charter school system, so I was really shy as a freshman, but by the time I became an upperclassman, I became very outspoken and dynamic,” Blake said.
When asked what he plans to do with his newfound confidence and impeccable people skills, he says he’s keeping his options open.
“My family has a big background in medicine and I’ve traveled with my uncle, who is a cardiovascular surgeon. His work really inspired me and medicine has been a childhood dream of mine,” Blake said.
In addition to the medical field, Blake is also interested in politics.
“I’ve gotten into politics in the past three years, after not really being interested in the field,” he said. “It seems that there are a lot of issues that are connected to the way government is ran. The recent elections really inspired me. When you look at what Atlanta needs, which is better education, infrastructure, transportation, and etc., all of these areas are political at its base.”
Blake will be attending the University of Georgia to explore both of these fields.
His mom has encouraged him every step of the way.
“I’ve always wanted to be a champion for her,” he said. “I’ve seen her struggle and it was tough. She has taught me how to be strong, gave me my foundation and instructed me on what I should and should not do. She also gave me freedom and room to make my own decisions. It has made my teenage years a growing experience, and I give thanks to her for what she has done for me.”
| College/University: | University of Georgia |
| Career Goals: | Veterinarian, Politician |
| Awards/Recognition: | Beta Club, National Society of High School Scholars |
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.
We Are APS highlights APS visionaries (parents, students, teachers, principals, support staff, community members, partners, etc.), who exemplify our vision of a high-performing school district where students love to learn, educators inspire, families engage, and the community trusts the system. To recommend an APS visionary for a We Are APS feature, contact your communications liaison or email apscommunicationsoffice@gmail.com.
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