When Ya’Mya Roberts walked across the stage to get her high school diploma, she’ll be the first to have already completed the Tallahassee Community College Honors Program with an associate’s degree.
Roberts, 17, is the 2021 valedictorian at Gadsden County High School and Tallahassee Community College. She received over $700,000 in scholarships from 11 different universities nationwide, including two full rides.
She started planning her life at a young age, is always striving for challenges and wants to change the narrative of her hometown.
“Many people, when they think of Gadsden County they think of an economically or educationally disadvantaged community,” Roberts said, according to WTXL Tallahassee. “If you’re from Gadsden County, you can do it just like I did it, we all can do it, don’t let society or the outside world tell us that we’re not good enough, that we’re disadvantaged, that we’re not really suited for certain opportunities, just keep pushing, dream big, and defy odds.”
Roberts plans to pursue medicine and become a gynecologist because she recognizes the disparities with people of color and healthcare.