Meet the Goldberg Scholars from Previous Cohorts

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 and she is currently a senior. Throughout her time in high school, Adedunmola has been a pillar in her community. She’s led policy changes in her school, mentored youth in her community, and provided academic support to her peers. She is a freshman attending Bowdoin College where she’s double majoring in Biochemistry and Neuroscience and minor in computer science. She aspires to be a Cardiothoracic Surgeon.

KIPP Massachusetts alumna

Elizabeth Agbedun is a KIPP Lynn Collegiate High School alumna. She is excited to major in biomedical engineering at Mount Holyoke College. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career in developing affordable mechanical prosthetics. During her time in high school, she boldly organized a movement to change school policy around allowing women to wear headwraps. She is also the captain of the African Dance Team and the president of the Environmental Club.

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 is pursuing Aerospace Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. As a member of the Track Team at Regis High School, Airam won the Coaches Award and was the Captain of the indoor track team. His leadership extends past athletics as he’s spent half of his time in high school, as a counselor for the REACH program.

KIPP Massachusetts Alumna

Jessica is an alumna of KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate. Passionate about science and inquiry, she has pursued learning opportunities at the MEDscience Simulation Lab at Harvard Medical School and through the High School Health Careers Program at UMass Medical School. Eager to bring her hands-on laboratory experiences to other students, Jessica led trips to the Biogen Lab Center and raised over $500 to ensure her classmates could attend. She is the co-founder and captain of the science fair club as well as the founder of the Savvy BIO program. She is a freshman at Williams College where she’s pursuing a pre-medical track. As a first generation student of Afro-Latina Dominican descent, she is ecstatic to attend the number one liberal arts college in the country and will continue to work hard breaking barriers for children from underserved communities.

KIPP Bay Area Schools Alumna

Maleah is a freshman at Duke University and is majoring in Biology with a Pre-Med track. She is excited about the possibility of studying abroad in South Africa or Japan. Maleah aspires to one day become a surgeon, making the healthcare system more equitable for people of color along the way. For the past three years, Maleah has served as a Phoenix Mentor at the Willie Mays Boys and Girls Club where she guided students who were transitioning from middle school to high school. She also served as a member of her high school’s Student Government and as cheerleading captain, using her leadership roles at her school to create a positive student culture

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 freshman at UCLA. Metztli is passionate about making a positive impact on the foster care system. 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. She dreams of one day becoming a politician. Metztli is captain of the varsity cross country team, Founder and Chair of the YMCA Youth Board and Founder of Women’s Empowerment Club.  

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 alumna. Throughout his years in high school, Cedric has 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 chemical engineering and business. He is a freshman at the University of North Texas studying engineering.

KIPP Houston Public Schools Alumnus

Horus is a KIPP Houston and Eastwood Academy High School alumnus. He is looking forward to studying finance in college, and is fascinated by spreadsheets, financial statements, budgeting and investing.  In addition to being a member of the National Honor Society, Horus has held leadership roles as student council president and as the founder of his school’s chapter of the Business Professionals of America. After he graduates, he is excited to found a financial firm that has a triple bottom line framework(financial, social, environmental)  and plans to give back to others in his community.

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 an alumna of KIPP Northeast College Preparatory High School, where she excelled across her classes and was involved in youth after school programs across Houston ranging from art to leadership roles. She is a freshman at Duke University and is eager to study abroad and pursue a humanitarian career. After graduating, she hopes to get a Masters Degree in Public Health and a Minors in Cultural Anthropology, eventually combining all of her interests to be a life coach for individuals interested in health and wellness.

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 alumna. Breon is a DC OSSE scholar which allowed him to participate in a rigorous, 4 week, microbiology class this past summer at Duke University.  Breon is active in the National Honor Society at KCP and is also an Earl Woods Scholar with Tiger Woods Foundation. Breon recently participated in the spring musical, Hairspray. Breon’s academic passion is mathematics.  He plans to work in STEM after college graduation to break down the barriers that affect African American men in STEM fields. Breon will interned at Accenture this past summer. He is a freshman at Duke University.

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.