A high school student in South Los Angeles who experienced homelessness during his childhood has achieved remarkable academic success, earning acceptance to 65 different colleges. Lamont Newell, a 17-year-old senior at Verbum Dei Jesuit High School, achieved a 4.4 GPA and received offers from Ivy League institutions including Dartmouth College and the University of Notre Dame.
Choosing Columbia University
After careful consideration, Newell selected Columbia University, another Ivy League school, where he will pursue industrial engineering on a full academic scholarship. Columbia is among the most selective universities in the United States, admitting only 4.2 percent of applicants to its undergraduate class of 2030. To gain admission to such elite institutions, students typically must excel in Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses, achieve high scores on the SAT or ACT, and demonstrate extensive extracurricular involvement.
A Remarkable Journey
Newell has long been an exceptional student, learning to code at a summer camp during his childhood. Years later, he became valedictorian of his high school. Reflecting on his achievements, Newell told KABC-TV, 'I felt proud. I never thought I'd make it that far, to be able to go into Ivy League, especially New York City. One of my goals is actually to create an institution where I teach black kids how to work in STEM.'
Growing up in the South Park neighborhood of South Los Angeles, a predominantly Latino area, Newell faced significant challenges. His mother, Antanika Barnes, gave birth to him at age 21 and raised him as a single mother. Despite periods of homelessness, Barnes managed to earn a college degree. She recalled, 'There were times where we didn't have a roof over our head, but we had a car,' explaining that she and Newell sometimes slept in a parking lot.
Barnes served as a role model for her son. 'As a parent, it is your duty to find out what your kids are good at, and I knew my son academically was a high achiever from a very young age,' she said. 'I probably couldn't have done it myself, but it was my job to figure out who could help and where I could get those resources from.'
Setting an Example
Newell will become the first man in his family to graduate high school and attend college. Barnes emphasized the significance of his accomplishment for their family, which has been affected by gang violence and incarceration. 'Now the youth that come after him are going to see that there's another way out,' she said.
Newell shares this sentiment and aims to inspire his younger brother. 'I realized if I didn't try hard enough, who would for him?' he said. He added, 'You may feel like during your situation there is no path out, but there is always an exit to your destination. In a million years, we could have never thought we would be in this situation.'
