Scholar of the Week: Charisma Clark of Petersburg High School

By Janeal Downs

Describing herself as fun, outspoken and serious about the things that she wants to do, honor roll student Charisma Clark ranks second in her senior class at Petersburg High School with a 4.0 GPA. As the oldest of three children,Charisma will be the first person in her family to attend college. “Hard work and dedication has brought me this far so I do not plan to stop at a high school level,” Charisma stated in an essay.

Charisma said school has always been imperative to her and as a senior, she is preparing to go to college soon. With an interest in computer and apps, she hopes to continue her education by majoring in computer engineering.  Her top college of choice is Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. “Engineering is a good field to go into; it’s just starting to pick up and I want to work with computers and apps and things like that,” Charisma said.

To prepare for college, Charisma is already involved in numerous extracurricular activities at her high school. Along with working, her favorite activity is cheerleading. She is also a majorette, in dance and JROTC. Some organizations she is involved in include the Beta Club, Key Club, and Future Business Leaders of America. With some of her organizations, she participates in a wide range of community service. Her most recent community service activity was assisting runners at a 5K run where she passed out water with Future Business Leaders of America. In the past, she has helped with “Walk for Hunger,” “Feed the Hungry”, and many other activities. “As busy as my schedule seems, I always find time to do community service,” Charisma stated.

Charisma not only does well at her high school, but she is also already studying at Virginia State University by participating in the G.R.O.W.S. (Gaining Real Opportunities with Students) program. She was also a member of the Explorers Program at SRMC (Southside Regional Medical Center). In a letter of recommendation, her math teacher, Zorica Skoro, stated she was impressed with Charisma’s understanding of some of the difficult Mathematical concepts she is learning at VSU and her curiosity to know more than a curriculum is offering. “Charisma’s strengths are her work ethic, her determination, and her personality,” Skoro wrote. “She is highly respected, as both a person and a student, by the classmates and her teachers.” Another mathematics teacher, Rayala Sharmila, said Charisma is a student who will make the most out of opportunities presented to her. She said her desire to learn, excel, and challenge herself is what makes her stand out. “Charisma is a self-motivated individual whom I envision would bloom in the setting provided by any college,” Sharmila said.

While working, participating in community service, and staying involved in extracurricular activities, Charisma continues to maintain her good grades. When asked who inspired her to succeed, she  did not hesitate to name her grandmother. “She just always told me that it’s good for scholarships school wise, and she told me to just stay humble and do well in school,” Charisma said.