By Tim Clifford

According to senior Anthony Berry-You Harvard University was not a first choice. It wasn’t even a realistic option. It was just another “reach” school to send an application to.

That was until a recruiter with the renowned college emailed Anthony to schedule an interview.

“I just went for it, I just applied. And it took about two weeks and I got an email. I was shocked when I read it because the first thing it said was “Interview with Harvard”…when that hit me I was just like “wow”, I almost didn’t believe it,” he explained.

President of the ASB, captain of the basketball team, and the executive mentor for the Ignite leadership program Anthony has always excelled academically. Since taking high school level courses in middle school any time that he has saved preparing to graduate has been poured directly back into tutoring other students and numerous after school programs.

“When I go to college I am going to be the first one [in my family] to go to a university so that’s been one thing I’ve always thrived off of. I wanted to be different. I knew I had to be more disciplined, more self-motivated. So I didn’t want to set low standards, I wanted to set the bar really high.”
While the news of interest from Harvard is a surprise for those students and staff who know Anthony it is clear what qualities would make him a viable candidate.

“Being around Anthony and his presence alone he’s a very special person,” says Vanessa Banner, the Principal for T.E.C.

“Anthony sat in on my interview and he was one of the students that were on the board. So from that moment on, in that interview, through his questions to me about what was important, how am I going to know every student here at T.E.C. , how am I going to know their strengths and weaknesses, he was very sincere about that. And when I left that interview it was his questions and his passion for this school that got me really wanting to work here,” she explained.

Though he cites NBA player Lebron James as a role model it is his own family who provide the greatest source of inspiration for his achievements. Living near Chief Sealth High School his mother, a nurse, worked long shifts days and nights to provide for Anthony, his two older brothers and his younger sister.

“All the things that I saw her do to try and make things work for me and my family was really big. The main thing that she told me was “whatever you do son, I just want you to make the best of your opportunities every day and try to help those around you because Karma comes around”. The more good things you do, you more you are going to get back…she is one person I cannot let down,” he explained while fighting back tears.

With his father the dynamic is a bit different. As he tells it the relationship is one of constant challenge to do better.

“If I tell him that I got a “B” in my class he will look at me like I’m crazy. Like “are you going to settle for such a low grade?”. He pushes me to levels that I have never seen other parents do with students and it just makes me want to excel.”

By his own admission his SAT scores were closer to average than above average and he believes it was his essay submission that probably caught Harvard’s attention. This seems very likely, especially since when speaking with him he does not come across as a senior in high school. Rather he gives off the impression of someone much older and much wiser.

For example when asked what his most memorable achievement in high school has been so far he answers with the story of a time he introduced himself to a student he didn’t know who looked depressed.

“My instinct was just to walk up to him and talk to him. I just talked to him for like a half an hour and I was late for class and all that. But it really meant a lot to me that he just opened up to me.”

Anthony has yet to decide on a “major” and hasn’t fully figured out what career he wants to pursue. But there is still half of a school year to complete, graduation and applications to more colleges before he makes any decision. He hasn’t even figured out his plans for prom yet.

Whatever he chooses it seems certain that big things are on the horizon.
“I want to do something that is part of the bigger scheme, something that really effects people. Something that could make a change to individuals. Something that could make people think ‘wow, this guy really made a difference to my life, I want to do something now’.”