A 17-year-old student from South Los Angeles has earned national attention after securing admission into 65 colleges and universities across the United States before ultimately choosing Columbia University for his higher education journey.
Lamont Newell, a straight-A student and valedictorian at Verbum Dei Jesuit High School, will attend the Ivy League institution on a full scholarship, where he intends to study industrial engineering.
Reflecting on the milestone, Newell said, “I felt proud. I never thought I’d make it that far, to be able to go into Ivy League, especially New York City.”
The teenager graduated with an impressive 4.4 GPA, a feat that highlights years of academic discipline and determination. Beyond his personal success, Newell said he hopes to use his education to inspire and support future generations of Black students interested in science and technology.
“One of my goals is actually to create an institution where I teach Black kids how to work in STEM,” he added.
Behind the achievement is also a story of resilience and perseverance. Newell’s mother, Antanika Barnes, revealed that the family previously faced homelessness and at times had to sleep inside their car in a recreation centre parking lot in South Los Angeles.
“There were times where we didn’t have a roof over our head, but we had a car. We didn’t have a place to stay so we would come and sleep in this parking lot,” she said.
Despite those challenges, Newell remained focused on his education, eventually turning adversity into a remarkable success story that has inspired many within his community and beyond.
