K’la Green has had her heart set on going to North Carolina A&T University since she was an eighth grader. Now, her achievements at Lenoir County Early College High School could get her to A&T on a full scholarship.

With one application, K’la qualified for the university’s three top merit scholarships – the Cheatham-White, the Dowdy and the February One scholarships. After a month’s wait, she was notified of her status as a finalist on Sunday.

“I was checking my email every day,” K’la said. “Every time I got an email from the school, I checked it and it was not the email I was looking for. Then, I finally got it. It was stressful.”

On Feb. 24-25, she’ll be in Greensboro with other scholarship finalists for interviews and Honors Weekend events. It won’t be her first trip to the campus.
As an eighth-grader at Rochelle Middle School, K’la and her class took a field trip to A&T. “I knew then that this was where I wanted to go,” she said. “I know I want to go to an HBCU.”

A&T’s first-class animal science programs also fits nicely with her career plans to become a veterinarian. “I plan to go to NC State for vet school when I finish my undergrad,” K’la said. “I want to open my own clinic.”

She will leave Early College with a high school diploma and an associate of science degree from Lenoir Community College, which will give her a two-year head start on a bachelor’s degree. 

At Early College she’s been an active member of the Student Government Association for four years and is the senior class representative this year. She’s working with other seniors to organize a mentoring program for underclassmen. Away from school, she tutors elementary and middle school students at Jack Rountree and Carver Courts apartment complexes as part of the volunteer group Aim High Tutoring.

“K’la is a school leader and such a positive role model for her classmates. I am so proud of her efforts,” Early College principal Steve Saint-Amand said. “She is an outstanding student and is committed to being the best student she can be. She is very deserving of a full academic scholarship to NC A&T. K’la will be an outstanding representative of Lenoir County Early College and Lenoir County Public Schools when she goes to NC A&T in the fall.”

As part of her application, K’la had to submit a video interview in which she answered two questions, one in which she identified something she’s passionate about – that would be cooking – and the other about leadership. 

Given a choice of five leadership characteristics, she was asked to pick one that fit her style. “I put navigator because I like to work my way through a problem, to understand it and navigate my way through it.”
She’s navigated this scholarship hunt “by managing my time and making sure I meet the deadlines,” K’la said. “That way the process can go as smoothly as possible.”

The three scholarships for which K’la is a candidate reward first-year students for academic excellence and leadership ability. A&T is expected to announce 20 winners of each on March 15.