Meet the Goldberg Scholars from Previous Cohorts

KIPP SoCal Public Schools – San Diego Alumna

Sarahi is an alumna of The Bishop’s School, located in La Jolla, CA. She has a strong interest in languages and government and intends to major in International Relations before attending law school. During her high school years, she was the leader of the Latin American Student Organization, raising awareness and educating the Bishop’s community on the Latinx experience. As a Head Ambassador, Sarahi was able to share her experience as a Bishop’s student and create a bridge between prospective Hispanic families and Bishop’s by serving as a translator at various events as well as of the school’s website.

KIPP Baltimore Alumna

Rayelle is a KIPP Baltimore and Bard High School Early College alumna. She is passionate about writing and film and she hopes to one day make films about the underappreciated. She was published in I BelongMagazine twice, was a part of many extracurriculars during her high school years and co-founded a Drama club at her school.

KIPP Massachusetts Public Charter Schools Alumna

Destin is a graduate of KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate in Massachusetts. He is passionate about poetry, social justice, and film. He hopes to one day become a civil rights lawyer to advocate for those who need it the most and make a difference in society. He was part of his school slam team, Indigo Society Poets, and together won ‘Louder Than a Bomb.’ He has also organized the ‘Be You’ Youth Pride Event for LGBT+ youth in his community.

KIPP New Orleans Schools Alumna

Donzhei is a graduate of Frederick A. Douglass High School in New Orleans, Louisiana. During her time in high school, she took dual enrollment courses with Bard Early College New Orleans. She was part of the first graduating class of seniors in Louisiana that graduated high school with an associate degree in hand. She is deeply passionate about community service and social justice organizations. She has held several leadership positions in the Student Government where, along with the help of other members, had opportunities to positively impact her school. She plans to pursue a pre-med or pre-law path at Bucknell.

KIPP Bay Area Public Schools Alumna

Gabriella Marie Hall is from San Lorenzo, California and graduated from KIPP King Collegiate High School. As a deaf student, she is a strong advocate for disability rights, working with KIPP King to incorporate disability history into the curriculum and participating in leadership activities alongside other deaf and hard of hearing students. Furthermore, she has a deep passion for academics, pursuing intensive learning opportunities at Stanford and UC Davis in areas including literature, international relations, and politics.

KIPP Texas Public Schools – San Antonio Alumna

Kaylin is an alumna of KIPP University Prep in San Antonio, Texas. Passionate about helping others and U.S. involvement abroad, she plans to major in political science while on the pre-med track at Duke University. She aspires to one day become a dermatologist as part of the Doctors Without Borders organization, changing lives through medicine. As Student Government President, NHS VP, and captain of three varsity teams, Kaylin’s engagement with her school is diverse and her charisma motivates those around her to do more. Her genuine love for people is what fuels her passions and inspires her future career.

KIPP Bay Area Public Schools Alumna

Jeanne is an alumna of KIPP San Jose Collegiate. At ten years old, Jeanne witnessed her father recover from a physical injury, and ever since then, she has been inspired to pursue a career in occupational therapy. As she majors in biology to prepare for work in the healthcare industry, Jeanne hopes that her efforts will not only promote female representation and gender equity in STEM, but will also broaden the variety and accessibility of healthcare services to underserved communities. On top of working a part-time job during high school, Jeanne was the co-captain of the varsity volleyball team, Lead Writer of Yearbook, and a member of the Debate Team.

KIPP Bay Area Public Schools Alumnus

Namit is a KIPP San Jose Collegiate alum. During his time in high school, Namit regularly acted in his school’s theater productions, volunteered at the Tech Interactive on weekends, taught children how to code, was a member of the Young Scholars program at Santa Clara University, and served as the vice-president of the computer science club. He plans to study computer science and engineering in college, and one day build an organization dedicated to helping underserved students excel in STEM.

KIPP SoCal Public Schools – LA Alumnus

Bill is a graduate of Cathedral High School in Los Angeles. During his time in high school, he was the Math Club assistant secretary and spent over 200 hours volunteering at the Variety Boys & Girls Club. His passion for science, mathematics, and the construction of structures has prompted him to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering at UC Davis. He hopes to one day create an organization which provides motivation and aid to low-income families.

KIPP Delta Public Schools Alumnus

Devonta is a KIPP Delta Collegiate High School alum. In high school he was an honors student, peer mediator and mentor, and participated in prestigious summer programs that shaped his leadership skills, including HOBY and Franklin & Marshall College Prep. He has a passion for working with people, especially young people, which motivates him to major in Education in college. He aspires to pursue a career as an education administrator with the hope of one day opening a school of his own.

KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools Alumna

Matijanay is an alumna of KIPP West Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School and a graduate of Academy at Palumbo in Philadelphia, PA. She is passionate about helping others from disadvantaged communities and giving back to the community that strengthened and motivated her. She began to pursue her passion by volunteering at Christy Recreation Center and creating a mentoring club with fellow classmates. Matijanay aspires to become a Nurse Practitioner centered around neonatal and pediatric care. She is proud to be a member of Villanova University’s Initiative for Engaging Women, a program that has supported her throughout her high school career. She is also a proud founder of Mentor Me, a club started to coalesce her school community and aid others who may not have the support needed to succeed.

KIPP Texas Public Schools – San Antonio Alumna

Ximena is KIPP San Antonio alumna. During her time in high school, she served as an officer of the Student Government Association and devoted her weekends to community service with organizations like the San Antonio Food Bank. She is passionate about helping those around her and is eager to pursue a career in Nursing. As a first-generation student, Ximena hopes to use her college education to give back to her community of Southeast San Antonio by helping to provide access to resources like affordable tutoring.

KIPP Bay Public Schools Area Alumna

Cindy is an alumna of KIPP San Jose Collegiate. She enjoys expressing her creativity through art, playing volleyball and running track and field. She aspires to explore a career in art, science, and technology, especially for women in Silicon Valley. During her time in high school, she was a proud volunteer for her local Vietnamese community as a pageant titleholder. Additionally, she worked as a graphic designer for her high school, creating posters and flyers for school-wide events, such as the Black History Month and Lunar New Year Celebrations, and for student organizations like the Gender Spectrum Alliance (GSA) and Asian Pacific Islander Association (APIA). She is most proud of her work with KSJC’s Specialized Teaching Program (STP) class where she created a t-shirt to raise awareness about Autism Awareness Month.

KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools Alumna

Quanifah is an alumna of KIPP DuBois Collegiate Academy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the summer of 2019, she had the opportunity to attend the Summer Institute program at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. This experience gave her the chance to learn more about the culinary field, a field about which she is passionate. After the program, she began running her own business, further developed her cooking skills and solidified her plans to study business and entrepreneurship in college. She hopes to impact the Philadelphia community through her future restaurant and non-profit.

KIPP Baltimore Alumnus

Raekwon is a KIPP Baltimore alum and attend the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute as part of The Ingenuity Project. He looks forward to studying Biomedical engineering at UNC Chapel Hill. He is passionate about becoming a physician-scientist to advocate for underrepresented communities and help eliminate health disparities by promoting diversity in medicine. During high school, Raekwon served as a leader on the lacrosse and swimming teams while also conducting an independent research project on prostate cancer at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

KIPP Massachusetts Alumna 

Born in Nigeria, Adedunmola “Praise” Adewale came to the United States at the beginning of her freshman year of high school, where her family settled in Lynn, Massachusetts. Adedunmola joined KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate her sophomore year. She is currently a Junior at Bowdoin College, where she is double majoring in Biochemistry and Sociology. Throughout her college career, Adedunmola has been a pillar in her community. She’s the leader of the FemPower Club that provides campus-wide awareness against gender-based violence and womanhood experience. She’s the House Chair of a college house where she organizes campus-wide events and Programmings, and she’s a student researcher studying Helicobacter pylori function in the human body to find new therapeutic ways. She aspires to be a Cardiothoracic Surgeon.

KIPP Massachusetts alumna

Elizabeth Agbedun just completed her second year of college. She’s double majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology while also on the pre-med track. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school and pursue a medical career. She’s very passionate about racial and gender issues so she plans to use her career to combat these issues. She is on the board of multiple black student organizations on her campus. Elizabeth works with others to help create a safe space for black identities at Mount Holyoke College.

KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools Alumnus

Jaliwa is an alumnus of KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools and Paideia High School. He was the recipient of his high school’s Headmaster’s award and one of two students selected for the prestigious Governor’s Honors Program. Passionate about sustainability, he recently launched a self-sustaining community garden at an affordable housing complex in Edgewood. He was also the Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper “The Forum”, the Track and Field Varsity Captain, and the former captain of the Debate Team. He is currently a freshman at Duke University where he is eager to work on big projects and build his leadership skills.

KIPP LA Schools Alumnus

Gerardo is an alumnus of KIPP LA Public Schools and Alliance Marc and Eva Stern Math and Science School. His passion for mathematics, along with his background in repairing automobiles, has prompted him to pursue an engineering major in college. In his community, he is a trusted advocate and leader. At just ten years old, he helped his parents purchase their first home, which included setting up an appointment, negotiation on price, and translating contracts from English to Spanish. He is a freshman attending Stanford University in hopes of obtaining not only a bachelor’s degree but as well as a master’s degree.

KIPP Houston Public Schools Alumna

Jacquelyn is a KIPP Generations Collegiate alumna. She is a first-generation student who aspires to empower her community through law and policy, and plans to pursue immigration law after college and become a U.S. Senator. She is already well on her way there and has taken on numerous leadership opportunities as a POSSE scholar, as president of her high school’s National Honor Society, as captain of the varsity soccer team, as president of a women’s empowerment club called IGNITE, and expanding her horizons traveling abroad during her junior year. She is currently a freshman at Bryn Mawr College, double majoring in English and Political Science with a minor in Mathematics.

KIPP NYC Alumnus

Born in the US and raised in the Dominican Republic (DR), Airam lived in the DR for 8 years before returning back to the US and settling in New York City. With a passion for continuous learning, Airam hopes is pursuing degrees in Industrial Management, Systems Engineering and Economics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. As an executive member of the Gamma Tau chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha and captain of the club basketball team, Airam has shown his leadership skills inside and out of classroom.

KIPP Massachusetts Alumna

Jessica is an alumna of KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate. Passionate about content creation and Afro-Caribbean culture, she has pursued artistic opportunities to choreograph for Ritmo Latino, study Latinx art history and Caribbean music, and exhibit her own large-scale art installations at Williams College. Eager to build community coalitions, Jessica has led digital marketing efforts for Black Previews (the first, student-ran program for admitted students of color) and SoCA — the Caribbean student organization. She is a junior at Williams College majoring in American Studies with a specialization in Comparative Studies in Race, Ethnicity, and Diaspora and a concentration in Latina/o Studies. In the past year, she conducted a research project on the intersection of Race and Beauty Standards with the non-profit MUDE in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and interned for Article 22, an ethically sourced jewelry line. As a first generation student of Afro-Dominican descent, she is ecstatic to be the first in her family to attend a private, liberal arts college and wants to gain more experience in digital marketing, communications, e-commerce and entrepreneurship.

KIPP Bay Area Schools Alumna

Maleah is a KIPP San Francisco College Preparatory alumna. She is a rising junior at Duke University and is majoring in Sociology with a minor in Chemistry and Japanese on the Pre-Med track. She is a Cardea Fellow, a member of Nakisai African Dance Ensemble, and Future Is Now on campus. She is passionate about working in the medical field and is apart of the 2020 Reimagine Medicine Cohort, an innovative humanities summer fellowship for pre-health students. Maleah aspires to one day become a surgeon, making the healthcare system more equitable for people of color along the way.

KIPP Bay Area Schools Alumnus

Khoa is a KIPP San Jose Collegiate alumnus. He grew up in Vietnam and moved to San Jose when he was fifteen years old. He is interested in pursuing a career that couples his interests in environmental chemistry and public health. He spent the summer of 2017 as a research intern at Stanford where he focused on stormwater treatment, developing findings that will help inform future filtration systems. Khoa has served as Vice President of Key Club and as a volunteer at his local library for 3 years to support his high school and community through various fundraising events and tutoring programs. Khoa is now a freshman at Harvard University.

KIPP Colorado Schools Alumna 

Citlaly Fierro is a KIPP Denver Collegiate High School alumnus. During her time in high school, she realized that she had a deep passion for social activism and now aspires to make an impact through public health. During her sophomore year, Citlaly was a part of two programs “WHY” and “STAMP”. The two programs focus on amplifying and unifying the voices of students of color in Denver Public Schools. She has worked relentlessly to grow as a leader, student, and person. Citlaly is a freshman at Colorado State University-Fort Collins.

KIPP Baltimore Alumnus

Joshua is an alumnus of KIPP Baltimore and Gilman High School in Baltimore, MD. His leadership extends beyond the classroom and deep into his community, as a former member of Gilman’s Black Awareness Club, a volunteer for the Bridges Baltimore program, and a tutor for younger students at Boys Hope Girls Hope in Baltimore.  He is now a freshman at Tufts University, where he’s majoring in engineering. Joshua plans to continue to give back to help young people in Baltimore succeed.

KIPP LA Schools Alumna

Anaid is a KIPP LA Public Schools and The Waverly School alumna, a competitive, independent high school in Pasadena, CA. Anaid’s interest in computer science has led her to start La Niña, a non-profit organization whose mission is to empower young Latinas, contest the patriarchy of male-dominated careers, and expose girls to careers that they potentially have never been exposed to. She started her non-profit at KIPP LA Prep in Boyle Heights where she teaches a group of fifteen fifth-graders how to code using Scratch. Anaid is a freshman studying computer science at Mount Holyoke College.

KIPP LA Schools Alumna

Metztli is a KIPP LA alumna and Mendez High School alumna who now attends the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is determined to make a positive impact for students in higher education, especially those who have been in the foster care system and dealt with incarceration. As a former foster youth, she knows the challenges so many children and young adults face and is dedicated to being an advocate for those who may not have a voice or platform to speak on the issue. She dreams of one day becoming a political representative for her community and plans to create her own non-profit organization to provide the resources and mentorship many students seek. Metztli is currently developing her skills to do so as a Talent Acquisition Intern for Foster America, the Vice President of Lambda Theta Alpha, and the Vice President of Recruitment for the Latino Business Student Association.

KIPP Colorado Schools Alumnus 

Rodrigo is an alumnus of KIPP Denver Collegiate High School and a freshman at Duke University. He is interested in pursuing a degree in computer engineering. Rodrigo was a member of the varsity soccer team and since 2014, has also played club soccer through C.A.S.A. He is a hard worker and quick study, developing customer service and technical skills at his family’s automotive business. As the oldest of four siblings, Rodrigo will be the first in his family to go to college.

KIPP Houston Public Schools Alumnus

Cedric is a KIPP Sunnyside High School alumnus. Throughout his years in high school, Cedric exhibited leadership in more ways than one. His leadership as the captain of KIPP Sunnyside’s basketball team and participation in the Unfamiliar Talent Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) has helped him make the Texas Christian Athletic League 1st Team All-State, also winning the first ever KIPP Sunnyside state championship. Not only does Cedric have a passion for basketball, but he also has a passion for science and business. He attends Murray State College where he’s a part of the Men’s basketball team, studying science, and looking forward to furthering his career in basketball.

KIPP Houston Public Schools Alumnus

Horus is a rising junior who is majoring in finance and accounting. He loves learning about financial markets, corporate strategy, budgeting, and investing. Consequently, he has explored these interests by interning within asset management and FP&A roles. Additionally, he helped co-found the first undergraduate investment club in his college. After he graduates, he is excited to start his career in finance while helping new generations of students prepare for careers in business.

KIPP NYC Alumna

Sharmely is an alumna of KIPP NYC College Prep High School. She is currently a freshman attending Colorado College. She aspires to volunteer as a Community Youth Worker through the Peace Corps after college and plans on either returning to KIPP as a KIPP Through College Counselor or pursuing a career in journalism. She is passionate about using her voice to make a positive impact on the world. Sharmely is a member of the Robin Hood Teen Council and is Co-Captain of Dreamspeak, her school’s spoken word team.

KIPP Houston Public Schools Alumna

Jannina is a proud and present alumna of KIPP Northeast College Preparatory High School in Houston, TX. She currently attends Duke University where she’s held an executive position in Mi Gente – the Latinx Organization on campus and tutored students in the Durham community and taught in a New Orleans teaching fellow program. After graduation she hopes to get a masters in Clinical/Educational Psychology  to promote wellness and mental health awareness in the communities she grew up in.

KIPP Massachusetts Alumnus

Jonathan is a KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate alumnus in Massachusetts. He has served as the Student Body President and advocated for greater awareness and protection of KIPP’s LGBT community. He is eager to pursue a career as a civil rights lawyer. Attending Georgetown University, he is majoring in sociology. While at Georgetown, he also hopes to study abroad, join the Georgetown University’s Queer People of Color, and continue to explore the intersectionality of different identities.  

KIPP Delta Public Schools

Anika Mittal is a KIPP Blytheville Collegiate High School alumna. Anika has been a leader in her community and is ready to continue her leadership through the Goldberg Scholars Program. Her goal is to become a physician and return to her community in the Delta to provide needed medical care. Anika is a freshman at the University of Missouri at Kansas City studying Biology.

KIPP Delta Public Schools Alumna

Rachael is a freshman at Pomona College. Rachael has a passion for writing, film, and theatre and is excited to use these platforms to explore the stories of people who have been underrepresented in the media. She is eager to learn the art of storytelling and looks forward to pursuing a career in this field post-college. She is deeply involved in her school community where she is a member of the Birmingham Aids Outreach Youth Advisory Council, member of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, member of the Young Democrats and member of Amnesty International.

KIPP Delta Public Schools Alumna

Kayla is a KIPP Blytheville Collegiate High School alumna in Arkansas. She was a student ambassador and served as a peer leader, mentoring and inspiring younger KIPPsters. In 2017 she received KIPP Delta’s Beyond Z Award, recognizing her strength of character to go above and beyond, both inside and outside the classroom. In 2016 she traveled to Uganda as part of a community service trip and volunteered at Malayaka House, a home for orphaned and abandoned children and young adults. It is there that Kayla discovered her passion for supporting children and is interested in pursuing a career in child psychology. She is a freshman at Hendrix College.

KIPP Nashville Alumnus

Miguel is an alumnus at KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School and is currently a freshman at Vanderbilt Peabody College of Education. He is passionate about teaching and looks forward to one day educating students in underserved communities. He is part of the Collegiate Ambassador Program and Co-Founder of the Just Mercy Book Club, a group dedicated to fighting injustices in the community.

KIPP DC

Breon Robinson is a KIPP DC College Preparatory alumnus. Breon is a rising junior at Duke University majoring in African &  African American Studies (concentrating in the Americas) with a minor in Visual & Media Studies. His passion is the Arts. On campus, Breon is involved in Nakisai African Dance Ensemble and Hoof ‘n’ Horn, the South’s oldest student-run musical theater organization. In addition, Breon is a SPIRE (STEM Pathways for Inclusion, Readiness, and Excellence) affiliate. Upon graduation, Breon plans to acquire his MBA from Business school in Data Analytics or Business Administration. His plan is to work in STEM to break down the barriers that affect African American men in STEM fields.

KIPP LA Public Schools Alumna 

Alejandra is from South Los Angeles and a KIPP LA Public Schools and USC Hybrid High School alumna in Los Angeles, CA. Alejandra has a passion for science and studies Biological Sciences at UC Berkeley. Her passion for medicine developed during an intensive pre-college summer program at Johns Hopkins University where she took Biology and Medicine courses. As a first-generation college student, Alejandra hopes to use her college education to make a positive multi-generational change in her community of South Los Angeles.

KIPP Houston Public Schools

Simon is a senior at KIPP Houston High School and Valedictorian of his class. He is currently a freshman at Yale University. He is interested in pursuing a career in the biomedical or engineering field and has a keen interest in learning about how 3D printing can be applied in various fields. He served on the Student Government as class President and is a team leader for the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society, helping to teach younger children about Vietnamese culture and the Catholic faith. He is a member of the St. Cecelia choir and has a deep interest in music and the arts.

KIPP San Diego Alumna

An activist, Andrea has advocated for Dreamers nationwide. Andrea plans to earn her Master’s degree in order to accomplish her ultimate goal of opening a non-profit organization that helps immigrants and the undocumented community. Andrea found her passion for activism when she advocated for the Dream Act in Washington, D.C. During her time there, she met with Congress to push for legislation that would provide a permanent solution to protect Dreamers. Andrea is a freshman at the University Of San Diego.

KIPP St. Louis  Alumnus 

Delton is an alumnus of KIPP St Louis Public Schools and Saint Louis University High School. He aspires to make a lifelong impact on the city of St Louis through policy and entrepreneurship. He is passionate about bringing together people of different socioeconomic and racial backgrounds, and has led multiple student organizations that aim to create dialogue on issues of race and social justice.  At his high school, he was also the President of the Chinese Club, and a Varsity Sprinter for the Track and Field Team. Delton is a freshman at Washington University in St Louis.

KIPP New Orleans Schools Alumnus

Blake Woods is a KIPP Renaissance High School and BARD Early College alumnus. With a class rank of 2 out of 130, Blake has demonstrated academic achievements as well as leadership in his community. Blake is a POSSE Scholar, co-founder of the KIPP Renaissance baseball team, and a performing poet that performed for the KIPP Gala 2018. With all of his extracurricular activities, Blake also works part-time as a Manager at a local restaurant. In the Fall, Blake is a freshman at the University of Notre Dame studying Biology with a Pre-Med educational track. Blake has dreams of becoming a doctor.

KIPP Bay Area Schools Alumna

Meiyi is attending Harvard College with a concentration in Chemistry. She has a dream of one day becoming an anesthesiologist. Meiyi was a member of the KIPP King Collegiate Interact Club for 3 years and serves as Co-president. The group is a community service organization that aims to make a positive impact both locally and internationally. Meiyi is also Co-president of the student government and is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese.