Many African Students In America Out-Perform Their White and Asian Peers…Why?
When emigrated from Nigeria with her family in 2005, she left behind her home and her native tongue, but held fast to one simple principle: “If I wanted to be the valedictorian, I couldn’t slack.”
On Wednesday, she will give the valedictory speech – in English – at the Social Justice Academy in Hyde Park. As a high-achieving African immigrant, she is not alone. According to Census numbers, African immigrants have a 96 percent high-school graduation rate nationwide – 12 percent higher than the national average.
“Many Africans, they have a lot to prove,” said Onwuakor, who plans to studChidiogo Onwuakory pre-med in the fall at UMass-Amherst. “This is the chance to do something with their lives, given the opportunity that was denied to them back home.” John Mugane, director of the African Language Program at Harvard and a native of Kenya, said the high graduation levels aren’t surprising.
“The whole idea is that when you come from a colonial country, education is what grants (more…)
