Scholar of the Week
Daysia McSweeney of Richmond Community High School
By Janeal Downs
While researching social work online one day, search there Daysia McSweeney found a
website with numerous different stories. The inspiring stories of people in the field of social work inspired Daysia to go into the field herself. She said she has wanted to be a social worker since she was a freshman in high school. Unlike other people, cure once she gets to college, ampoule she does not think this dream career choice will change. “I just like to help people a lot and I just took an interest in social work,” Daysia said.
While she just wants to be in the social work field, Daysia said she is drawn to working with children. “I even wanted to work with abused and battered children or children with behavioral problems,” she said. She also would be interested in becoming a child protective services investigator. Daysia is already gaining experience working with children through volunteer work. She volunteers as a Teacher Assistant at As We Grow Learning Center. Here she helps clean, distribute food, read to the children, and help them with their assignments. She has also served as a summer tutor for middle school students at Anna Julia Cooper Episcopal.
In order to further her education and gain experience as a social worker, Daysia said she would love to go to a Historically Black College or University in the South. Her top choice of schools is Clark Atlanta University in Georgia. “During Spring Break me and my friends took a trip down there and I really liked the campus,” Daysia said. She also recently had the opportunity to hear a recruiter from North Carolina A & T speak where he relayed all of the numerous opportunities for gaining experience in the field of social work. Daysia said she hopes to gain experience through internships and also wants to get a masters in the field.
Daysia loves to read, shop, dance, and listen to music. “I wouldn’t say I’m shy, but I’m not really outspoken, I like to be more reserved,” she said. “But I think I’m really goofy and a know it all kind of.” With a 4.02 GPA, as a senior at Richmond Community High School, Daysia is also involved in different organizations. She is a member of the German Club, the book club, the National Honor Society, and Future Business Leaders of America. Her other achievements include making the honor roll numerous times, being on the Scholar Roll, and having perfect attendance. In addition to academic, volunteer and community activities, Daysia holds a part time job at a local Kroger.
Daysia’s mother is who she said influences her to succeed the most in life. “I see her work hard every day and sometimes she has two or three jobs at a time and I just want to aspire to be like her,” Daysia said. “She motivates me to do more and want to succeed.”
