Ivy League-bound teen Akintunde Ahmad gets surprise gift on 'The Ellen Show'
theGRIO REPORT - Ahmad's inspiring story landed him on 'The Ellen Show last week' where he revealed which Ivy League school he will be attending in the Fall and earned a surprise gift from Ellen herself.
Akintunde Ahmad is a phenomenal 17-year-old student from Oakland, Calif. whose strong work ethic and discipline has earned him much success.
Ahmad, who attends Oakland Tech High School, admits that he has often been typecast by his tall frame and long dreadlocks — and because of this, most people are surprised to learn that he has in fact earned a 5.0 GPA, a 2100 SAT score and acceptance into almost every Ivy League school in the nation.
After growing up in an area prone to heavy violence, Ahmad kept his head in the books and his mind on success as he has defied the odds and stereotypes set against him.
“I plan to pursue a career in law so I can impact the lives of as many people as possible, specifically the people of Oakland, because I want to change my city for the better,” Ahmad told theGrio.
He even previously told a story once of how he declined an offer to attend a party and instead chose to stay home to work on an essay. That very same night, his brother — who attended the same party — was shot and injured. His brother, Azeem, has since fully recovered.
“There’s plenty of people I know who have been killed,” Ahmad told SFGate.com. “I could write a list starting in elementary school of all the people we grew up with who have been killed. I could have easily been caught up in that life. You don’t have to be a bad person to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Ahmad’s inspiring story landed him on The Ellen Show last week where he talked about life growing up and how his focus has always been on academics. Ahmad also plays three instruments and is a star athlete on his school’s baseball team.
During his appearance, he also revealed which Ivy League school he will be attending in the fall. Up until that moment, he had not announced the news to anyone — not even his parents, who sat with much anticipation in the audience.
Watch the video above to find out which school Ahmad will be attending and the surprise gift he received from Ellen.
Follow Lilly Workneh on Twitter @Lilly_Works
