Xzorion Harris, a student from Whitehaven High School in Memphis, Tennessee, received a total of more than $8 million in scholarship offers from over 100 schools. His scholarship amount is the largest a male student has ever received in the school’s history so far.
Xzorion said he was overwhelmed when he found out about his achievement.
“It… surprise[d] me because I didn’t expect a Black kid from Memphis to get stuff like that. I think it says a lot about me. I’m proud of myself. It shows that I’m a dedicated hardworking person,” he told ABC24.
As of recent, Xzorion is one of the 46 seniors from Whitehaven to receive over $1 million each in scholarships, ranking 5th highest in the amount of scholarship offers in the school overall and the 1st highest of any male student in the school.
“For most of our students, it’s the expectation, so it’s not surprising. When you go as far as Xzorion has gone, it’s mind-blowing,” said Senior English teacher and Dual Enrollment Specialist Akita Banger Gray, noting that the school really made efforts to help students reach several opportunities after graduation.
Out of the 100 options laid for Xzorion, he chose to attend Tuskegee University in Alabama “because it’s an HBCU and they have a good engineering program,” he said.
Moreover, Xzorion wants to motivate others to work hard and give their best to also reach their dreams.
“Being dedicated, you have to not only do it, but do it at the best you can do and be the best that you can be. Put in your full effort into whatever you’re doing.”