SALUTE TO GRADUATES TRIBUTES 2023: At 14 years of age, Pennsylvania graduating senior Adina Williams is preparing to earn her diploma, join her sisters at Miles College
Andre Johnson 
“Every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourself in a way that others might not see you, simply because they’ve never seen it before. And we will applaud you every step of the way.” — Kamala Harris, Vice-President, United States of America
MAKING HER PRESENCE FELT
For the record, Adina Julianne Williams is a tender 14 years of age.
Peep this: she’s going to be a college freshman this fall.
“I know everybody’s been wondering. “I’m a Golden Bear!” Williams, who will enroll at Miles College, announced via TikTok earlier this week.
Indeed, she is.
ONE SHINING MOMENT
And what an incredibly amazing journey it is for Williams, an honor student and a graduating senior at Penn Foster High School in Scranton, Pennsylvania, who will earn her diploma June 3 at 2:30 p.m. EST.
No one, it seems, is overwhelmingly thrilled about the immeasurable strides Williams has made in recent years than her mother, Melissa Williams, who’d be the first to admit her daughter’s rise to academic success comes amid humble beginnings.
“As a family, we have quite a testimony,” Melissa Williams said to kick off Making Headline News’ Annual Salute To Graduate Tributes for 2023.
“We overcame homelessness when Adina was small. She suffers with health challenges that affect her rest and mentality. Yet, she still is always positive and the source of encouragement for others.”
HBCU-NBELIEVABLE JOURNEY
As if Adina Williams’ health-related obstacles haven’t brought about a number of hurdles about which she had to clear throughout the years, her mother said her daughter — like many high school students — had to adjust to the various changes that surfaced amid the unprecedented global pandemic.
“The pandemic posed its own challenges as we had just relocated to Dallas from Nashville,” Melissa told MHN. “Not being able to be social and create a new network in our new home was tough. But yet she persevered and finished school early with Dean’s List honors.”
Having amassed a cumulative grade point average of 3.5, Adina Williams has not only become a catalyst in the classroom, but the Atlanta native has made her presence felt in a variety of notable activities.
A devout member of the school’s varsity cheerleading, Adina Williams was a majorette, a member of symphonic band (clarinet), soccer, choir, theatre, language club, garden club, running club, and was involved in ballet.
For her valiant academic efforts, she is a recipient of Mile College’s Bridge Scholarship.
A senior, private, liberal arts Historically Black College with roots in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Miles College is based in Fairfield, Alabama.
“The sky is not the limit for her,” Melissa Williams said of her daughter while referencing the familiar Biblical passage that is 1 Corinthians 2:9. “She has already gone above and beyond, broken records, lived the life of many dreams at only 14 years of age. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into our hearts, the things which God hath prepared for her.”
Besides Miles College, Adina Williams was accepted to 15 colleges and universities, but had shown serious consideration for fellow HBCU’s Alabama State, Tougaloo, Bennett, Texas Southern, and Alcorn State, she said.
Having suitably described her a daughter as a prophetess and “a messenger of God,” Melissa Williams said the key her daughter’s wealth of success is due in large part to her keen ability to exemplify a considerable amount of faith in spite of the array of challenges she’s endured in recent years.
SHE’S ON HER WAY
“She is faithful,” Melissa Williams said. “Sings in the church choir. She loves to babysit, great with kids, and runs a childcare business. She is a fashionista, always dressed to impress and doesn’t leave the house without her hair, nails, and makeup laid. She is an awesome cosmetologist, too.”
The night of her daughter’s graduation undoubtedly figures to be an emotional one, particularly when her child’s name is called through the loudspeakers to receive her diploma, Melissa Williams said.
“(I’ll remember) the memories of her little dimple-faced smile as a toddler,” Melissa Williams said. “How she would do silly dances to make me laugh. She still does.”
FANTASTIC FINISH
In the coming months, it’s off to college, where she Adina Williams will join her big sisters, who are also students at the school.
Expect frequent family reunions to take place, Melissa Williams insinuated.
“I’ll be there with her most times because her older sisters who also attend Miles,” she said jokingly. “With her being a young student, mama will definitely be a helicopter to make sure she’s safe. But I’ll definitely miss her on the days and times that I’m not on campus.”
CONNECT WITH THIS AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST FOR MEDIA EXPOSURE
WHAT’S YOUR STORY? If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
Andre Johnson is the award-winning Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to [email protected] or to [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist or Instagram at @makingheadlinenews.
ADVERTISE WITH US
About The Author
