Three years ago in 2020, Timi Adelakun made history at South Broward High School in Hollywood, Florida as the first Black valedictorian. He also earned the highest GPA ever recorded at the school – an impressive 5.6045.
Adelakun took over 20 college credit courses during high school between AP classes, ACC credits, and dual enrollment at Broward College. This allowed him to boost his GPA to record-breaking levels.
While excelling academically, Adelakun also made time for extracurriculars like the drama club and Thespian Honors Society. He said balancing his love of STEM and the arts helped manage the stress.
Accepted to 8 Top Universities with Scholarship
With his exceptional academic track record, Adelakun was accepted into 8 top-tier universities across the country including Columbia, Julliard, UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley, University of Chicago, and more.
He ultimately chose to attend Pomona College in California with a full scholarship. Adelakun was attracted by the small, liberal arts curriculum and opportunity to double major in molecular biology and theater.
Although Adelakun couldn’t physically attend graduation in 2020 due to COVID-19, he remained positive about the future.
“I’m excited to go onto new heights and kind of go out of my comfort zone,” Adelakun said.
Valedictorian Title Bittersweet Without Father
While proud of his accomplishments, Adelakun said becoming valedictorian was bittersweet since his father could not be there to celebrate with him. His father was deported back to Nigeria when Adelakun was in 1st grade.
“He left when I was in the first grade… I miss his physical presence and involvement,” Adelakun told reporters. He said his father lived in the U.S. for 28 years after arriving as a student in 1981.
However, Adelakun found motivation through education during difficult times. He hoped his achievement as valedictorian would showcase that more support and opportunities are needed in his diverse community.
