51���app

Of all the fondness expressed by her teachers, peers, and admission officers, Essi Adokou’s academic determination and leadership qualities rise to the surface. Arriving in the United States at age 13 from the Francophone country of Togo in West Africa, Essi entered high school without a native command of English or the cultural substructure to build immediate relationships with new peers. But, as her teacher said, “Essi is one of the brightest students I have taught in the last ten years.” She quickly ascended to the top of her class, earning A+s in all but two classes (in which she earned As) over four years at Baker College Prep, a Noble Street Charter School. As another teacher put it, Essi’s achievement reflects a “work ethic unmatched by any current or former student.”

Essi participates in the French Conversation and Culture Club, was captain of her school volleyball team, and serves as a peer mentor. Outside of school, when not working as a kitchen aide at St. Columbanus Athletic Center, she regularly volunteers at an area food pantry. She aspires to become a physician before returning to Togo and establishing a medical practice, helping to relieve the kind of pain and suffering she experienced as a child in the absence of adequate medical recourse. She has received several awards from her high school, including the Grit Award, Mathematics Mastery Award, and Triumph Award.