A brilliant 17-year-old Nigerian American boy, Adrian Ottah has graduated from both High School and College in the same week after an incredible run of both his Diploma program and Associates degree simultaneously.
Adrian, 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 to Nigerian parents who moved to the United States few years before he was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 attended University High School, Newark where they offer a program where college professors come to the school and teach college-level courses for a few students.
“My true motivation was my parents, my immigrant parents, I know they didn’t have the opportunity to do this, so when I had the opportunity, I just took it and ran with it,” he said.
At University High School, Adriana earned 60 college credits in their program despite juggling high school classes with college-level classes. He stated that though college classes were harder, it was not too hard for him.
“I’m graduating with over a 3.0 GPA in a college class while juggling high school classes as well and I have a 3.5 in high school,” he said. Mariam expressed so much pride in her son’s achievement.
Adriana said that he wants to honor the sacrifice made by his parents and to change the arc of his family in a single generation.
Adrian’s parent moved to the United States in search of greener pastures and to make their 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren have a fulfilling dream.”For greener pastures. I heard America you could live your dream, I said OK, let me go see that dream,”Adrian’s mother, Mariam Watson said.