North Carolina resident, Sonjia Colson, named Fourth Prize winner by College Admissions Assistance

North Carolina resident Sonjia Colson was selected as the $250 Fourth Prize winner by College Admissions Assistance (CAA) last week in their 6th annual scholarship drawing.  CAA asks their outgoing senior class to participate in a “senior survey” in which entries are selected at random for prizes that range from $250 to $1500. Sonjia, an aspiring first-grade teacher, found her passion for teaching at a very young age and plans to start working on her bachelor’s degree in elementary education when she enters Shaw University in the fall. Sonjia says that playing “teacher” was her favorite game as a child and she grew up mentoring her cousins and helping them with their homework. “I want to make a difference in a child’s life by motivating them to succeed,” she said. “I was taught by my teachers that a student should not dwell on what they cannot do but on what they can do.” Sonjia explained that Shaw University caught her attention because of its small class sizes and “family-like” atmosphere. The outgoing and compassionate young adult says she is excited to meet new people in college and is considering joining a sorority. “I am very much a people-person,” she said. “You never know who the next person you meet will be.” Although she enjoyed her high school career, Sonjia said that she should have focused more on her study habits and joined another sport. Sonjia would advise underclassmen to not let procrastination get the better of them and to choose their friends wisely.  One of her own best friends became the class valedictorian and inspired Sonjia to work hard. She explained that her father, who has always been an inspiration to her, attended the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill on a football scholarship. This year, Sonjia said, it was she who inspired her father and brought tears to his eyes when she received her honors and awards on Senior Awards Night. Sonjia thanks CAA for its test-prep program because it helped her increase her ACT score. She also appreciated the essay and application reviews because her high school counselors were inundated with students’ demands and were often not available to help her. “There was always someone in the counselor’s office at my school,” she explained. “They were so busy I couldn’t get the help that I needed.” CAA and its staff are happy that Sonjia found success with its program and that she was one of the scholarship winners. We are sure she will be successful in life as well as in college.