How I joined Yale Young African Scholars, by Akinkugbe

A year 10 pupil of Greensprings School, Zanita Akinkugbe, has been accepted as one of the scholars of this year’s Yale Young African Scholars (YYAS) programme, after a highly competitive application process.

YYAS, an initiative of the prestigious Yale University, United States, is an intensive academic and enrichment programme designed for African secondary school students planning to pursue tertiary education and who wish to make a meaningful impact as young leaders on the continent.

Applications were received from thousands of students across Africa, and only successful applicants who met the stipulated standards were contacted.

Sharing her joy, Akinkugbe, said, “I am highly delighted to have been chosen as one of the scholars. Back in February when I was applying for the programme, I had to write three strong essays, submit my school transcript, get a letter of recommendation from my teacher, and a proof that I am highly involved in extracurricular activities.

Combining all these with my school work was a bit challenging, but I am happy that I was able to manage my time very well to come up with an application that was loved by the organisers of the programme. Now that I have been accepted, I look forward to improving my leadership skills and meeting fellow scholars from other African countries,” she concluded.

The principal, Mrs. Magdalene Okrikri, on her part stated, “This is good news for the school. Our mission is to motivate our students to become confident and responsible global citizens. Therefore, seeing our student being accepted into such a programme is quite interesting and fulfilling. It further confirms that we have a functional value system within the community”.

The programme will bring together students that wish to make a meaningful impact as young leaders on the continent. The participating students will be mentored and will receive university admission and financial aid application guidance. The programme was scheduled to take place in Ghana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, but will now hold online because of the COVID-19 pandemic.