Written by: Fortunate Madueke, DSST: Green Valley Ranch - Class of 2025
To my community, DSST is more than just a school—it is a safe place for survival. It is considered by many to be the “Harvard” of public schools, not because it is exclusive but because it sets the highest standards and provides pathways to the best colleges. My family thought that DSST would lead to a better future. Coming from a Nigerian household where education is a core value, my mom would always remind me in Igbo, “akwụkwọ na-emepe ọtụtụ ụzọ”—education opens many doors—and she was right.
When I walked into DSST, I got a lot more than classrooms and textbooks; I received a home for my inquiries, a challenge to lead, and a place that forced me never to accept mediocrity.
My defining moments began in middle school with my history teacher, Mr. Hobbs. Before this, history classes only covered Black individuals through slavery or the Civil Rights Movement. It wasn’t until Mr. Hobbs introduced us to Mansa Musa and the empires of Africa that I was getting to see a piece of history that reflected me for the first time. At that moment, I had never felt more like myself. The lesson went beyond facts—it was about understanding that my narrative, my culture, and my people mattered.
DSST made me the kind of leader that I am today. I remember classrooms where I felt encouraged to raise my voice, where I wasn’t afraid to ask questions, and where I wasn’t afraid to challenge myself academically. Along with that came the confidence to take on leadership roles, which is how I became vice president of the Math Honors Society and was also awarded the Core Value Award.
Outside of the classroom, DSST opened up opportunities for me that I hadn’t even known were possible. With its connection to High School High Scholar (HS²), I spent my summer with other low-income and/or first-generation students of color, taking advanced STEM classes and being guided through the college process by mentors. DSST empowered me to dream bigger, allowing me to discover and pursue opportunities like HS².
DSST not only broadened my opportunities but also connected me to experiences that shaped my future goals. Through DSST, I interned at a pharmacy owned by a Black woman. Watching her excel as both a healthcare professional and a business owner, I saw a reflection of my future self. It was not only motivational but also a reminder that I, too, could contribute to healthcare, especially for people who look like me.
DSST influenced my future most by honing my interest in healthcare—more specifically, dermatology. Based on my experience as a Black woman, I have personally been aware of the failures of healthcare for people with pigment in their skin. Dermatological conditions often look different on melanated skin, but most medical education is predominantly centered on individuals with white skin tones. The result is wrong diagnoses, poor treatment, and missed concerns. I want to change that. I aspire to be the dermatologist making sure that we are being treated right in the field. In Colorado, there are fewer than two Black dermatologists, and nationwide, Black dermatologists make up just 3% of the field. This glaring underrepresentation is a problem I intend to fix. I’m determined to become a dermatologist and open my own clinic, ensuring that people like me finally get the care we deserve.
My time at DSST was instrumental in both shaping my professional aspirations and helping me navigate personal hardships. During my junior year, I lost three close family members while I was at DSST. Everything felt heavy as I grappled with grief; tasks that should not have been difficult were just that. But there was DSST, in my despair. The teachers at my school not only checked on my grades—they checked on me. While they ensured that I kept up with the deadlines, they were also willing to provide me with the support and understanding I needed to heal. You know, that kind of support is rare, and that is something I will never, ever forget.
A free, public charter school that anyone could attend, DSST changed the trajectory of my life. Although DSST does not cover the cost of AP exams anymore, that past funding difference was everything. It removed the financial burden so that students could challenge themselves to the fullest extent. And this is why DSST is not a school where students endure but prosper.
To any student ever thinking about DSST, I would tell them the following: If you genuinely want to go to college, if you need a community that will challenge, support, and believe in you when you don’t believe in yourself, you come right here. My experience would have never happened anywhere else.
Thanks to the foundation DSST laid for me, I am proud to say I will be attending Rice University and will be majoring in neuroscience and minoring in medical humanities.
Because of DSST, I’m not just dreaming—I’m doing. Thank you, DSST.
