16-Year-Old African-American Girl Awarded $1 Million in Scholarships to 60 US Universities

Alanah Poullard, a 16-year-old African American girl hailing from Jennings, Louisiana, has achieved a remarkable feat by securing $1 million worth of scholarships to 60 universities across the United States. Poullard, currently a second-year student at Midland High School, distinguished herself academically, earning acceptance to numerous prestigious institutions with scholarships totaling over a million dollars.

Poullard’s extraordinary academic journey saw her completing high school two years ahead of schedule, thanks to her dedication and hard work, culminating in a remarkable 3.80 grade point average. Despite facing the daunting task of applying to over 100 colleges during her freshman year, Poullard never anticipated receiving such an overwhelming response.

Reflecting on her unprecedented success, Poullard expressed her disbelief, stating, “I never thought in a million years I would have gotten into 60 colleges. It’s still hard for me to believe that I am graduating, but I know that I worked hard for it and I deserve it.” Her rapid progression through high school left her astonished, feeling as though her journey had just begun.

Poullard’s academic prowess traces back to a notable encounter at the tender age of five when she captured headlines by writing to former US President Barack Obama, seeking an excuse note for missing school to attend a White House event with her parents. Obama, impressed by her initiative, responded with a handwritten note, stating, “Please excuse Alanah from school–she was with me.”

Furthermore, Poullard’s journey to academic excellence was marked by notable achievements, including her acceptance into a prestigious two-week summer medical internship at the University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine at the age of 14. During the internship, she distinguished herself by learning to perform an aortic valve replacement on a porcine heart, emerging as the youngest and sole representative from her state to participate in the program.