Congratulations to the 27 seniors at Success Academy High School of the Liberal Arts–Manhattan selected to be members of this year’s Ruth and Norman Rales Scholars Program!
In its fourth year, the program recognizes scholars from the Class of 2028 who exhibit exceptional academic achievement, leadership potential, commitment to service, professionalism, and persistence. SA Rales Scholars will receive financial support, $40,000 scholarship over four years of college, as well as unparalleled guidance through mentors, leadership programming, and career development in college and beyond.
The Rales Foundation has committed to supporting up to 125 SA Scholars over a five-year period. This partnership significantly enhances Success Academy’s college access and preparation program while developing an alumni culture of giving back.
Elaine Adames-Jimenez
Graduate of SA Harlem 1 ES and SA Harlem North West MS
Elaine Adames-Jimenez has always loved helping others, demonstrated time and again throughout her years at SA. A CAPtain, SA-NAN tutor, STEM teaching assistant, and Junior Medical Intern at Mount Sinai, giving back seems embedded in Elaine’s DNA. Elaine also holds five honors, including The Smith College Book Award, and with a passion for medicine, she spent two of her summers participating in the SA Summer Experience Fellowship pursuing STEM opportunities. In her freshman year, Elaine studied neuroscience at Columbia University, and in her junior year, she studied anatomy and physiology at the University of Delaware. The culmination of her high school experience will begin to blossom in the fall as Elaine heads to Northwestern University with plans to become a doctor.
Benjamin AshShahid
Graduate of SA Upper West ES and SA Midtown West MS
An intrepid leader in his school community, Benjamin personifies what it means to be a self-assured, autonomous scholar. A lawyer in the making, Benjamin is no stranger to standing up for the rights of others. He led the charge as student body president, working with school leadership to implement new policies that built students’ confidence in mastering course material. An honors student undertaking eight AP courses throughout his matriculation, Benjamin was tactical and resilient — he created study groups and used methodology to help guide his peers to achieve their goals, and to help him achieve his own. Spending time giving back to his student body, Benjamin was a tutor for SA-NAN, a flute player in the HSLA Symphonic Winds, an SA Ambassador, and an NYU College and Career Lab scholar. The student body of Tulane University is lucky to have Benjamin join their 2028 graduating class.
Aboubacar Barrie
Graduate of SA Bronx 2 ES and SA Bronx 2 MS
Aboubacar will be a future first-generation college graduate who has a keen interest in environmental development. He spent his time outside of the classroom volunteering with community organizations like GreenThumb and The National Audubon Society to make his hometown, the Bronx, a cleaner community. Additionally, Aboubacar has an awe-inspiring entrepreneurial spirit, having taught himself the foundations of Javascript, HTML, and CSS to build e-commerce websites and expand his sneaker reselling business. Aboubacar doesn’t turn away from a challenge; he took college-level coding courses with Georgia Tech while still in high school. He is even a recipient of the AP Scholar Distinction Award! In the fall, Aboubacar will take his talents, determination, and independent spirit to Massachusetts, where he will attend Babson College.
Aminata Bathily
Graduate of SA Harlem 1 ES and SA Harlem West MS
Aminata’s high school resume is more than a little impressive — she took (and excelled in) seven AP courses, participated in the Summer Experience Fellowship with the Wake Forest Ross K. Smith Debate Camp, and holds four honors. Her intellectual prowess especially shines when she’s behind the debate podium — Aminata was the captain and assistant coach of the debate team who led her team to two first-place wins at the American Debate League and at Yale, and to the Octofinals round at Harvard. With interests in social justice and activism, Aminata spent her free time volunteering with community organizations like The Harlem Children’s Zone and The Neighborhood Women’s Collective. Not stopping there, she co-founded Girls Support Girls, a nonprofit organization. This powerhouse for change will take Dartmouth College by storm next fall, with her sights set on pursuing law.
Makenna Blaise
Graduate of SA Bed-Stuy ES and SA Myrtle MS
Determined in nature, Makenna stands out with her impressive combination of academic achievement, social consciousness, and remarkable leadership. She consistently builds community through her co-curricular activities — Makenna participated in Beauty and Brains, CharitAble, Junior and Senior Committee, was the secretary of HSLA’s First Black Student Alliance, and competed nationally with the chess club and debate teams, to name a few! Academically, Makenna immerses herself in STEM courses, and maintains a high GPA. She has taken advantage of SA’s Summer Experience programming for three years, studying neuroscience and contributing to research at New York University, Tufts University, and NYU Langone Hospital. We can’t wait to see all Makenna gets involved in at Carnegie Mellon University!
Kairo Calcano
Graduate of SA Bed-Stuy ES and SA Bed-Stuy MS
Kairo is a dynamic leader with passions for the performing arts, humanities, forensic science, and helping others. He dives head-first into exciting new experiences — from performing in plays, tackling lighting as a manager for the Theater Technology Crew, and joining the track team — Kairo was no stranger to stepping outside of his comfort zone. He consistently rose to academic challenges by taking a slew of APs, earning the AP Scholar Award, and participating in a New York Times Summer Experience program that married his interests of journalism with the sciences. Inspiring others also comes naturally to Kairo, who served his community through tutoring in the SA-NAN club and by creating the Latin Student Alliance. Kairo will head to Lafayette College next fall, as a first-generation college student, to pursue a major in Biochemistry with the goal of becoming a forensic scientist.
Nyteeh Camara
Graduate of SA Harlem 1 ES and SA Harlem West MS
Nyteeh has a thirst for knowledge, passion for discovery, and dedication to service that are evident in all she does. Nurturing those around her comes naturally to Nyteeh — she created the Girls Support Girls Club where she organized donation drives and fundraisers, she was a Writing Center Mentor, a tutor through SA-NAN, a lead STEM Teaching Assistant, and was a pillar in the community as an SA Ambassador. Upholding a nearly perfect GPA and mastering six APs, Nyteeh is an academic powerhouse! She has taken her love of education around the world through Summer Experience Fellowships, traveling to Rome with Brown University, to Morocco with the Council on International Education Exchange, and uptown to the Columbia University Law School to study Constitutional law and policy. Nyteeh plans to enact change in the world beginning at Columbia University, with the goal of becoming an attorney.
Madison Cates-Rollins
Graduate of SA Bronx 1 ES and SA Harlem East MS
Embodying a can-do attitude, poise, and confidence, Madison’s creativity radiates through just about everything she does. During her time at SA, Madison fostered a deep passion for STEM and dance, and made an effort to carve out a life that fulfills both. As an AP Scholar, Madison pushed herself to take as many AP and STEM courses as possible — her ambition and dedication to growth is evident in and out of the classroom. Beyond academics, Madison merged her love for dance with science by joining a local nonprofit, STEM from Dance, where girls of color develop STEM skills and intertwine them with dance. Her dedication to the arts and helping her peers extended to leadership roles in the Annual Root Awakening, and in founding and captaining the HSLA Hawkettes, a majorette club. Looking forward, Madison will continue to demonstrate her unwavering commitment to both her academic and artistic passions at Temple University.
Fatou Dambelly
Graduate of SA Bronx 2 ES and SA Bronx 2 MS
In spite of taking an impressive thirteen honors and AP courses throughout her academic career, Fatou was busy as an active member of her school community. The leader of this year’s Root Awakening showcase, Fatou was also the co-captain of the SA Step Team and the co-founder and president of the Muslim Student Association. Outside of SA, Fatou has the gift of creating space for scholars and Muslim teenagers. Fatou founded the Muslim Sisters Youth — an online hub of over 1000 young women to explore Islam and raise Islamic awareness. Additionally, Fatou acted as a Ya Ya Network facilitator, helping organize and facilitate discussions at City Hall to advocate for school safety for scholars. With plans to become a nurse, Fatou will spread her wings at the University of Pennsylvania this fall.
Ibrahima Diop
Graduate of SA Harlem 4 ES and SA Harlem North West MS
Ibrahima sits in the top 6% of this year’s graduating class —- showing an unwavering comment to his intellectual growth — and he earned the College Board’s AP Scholar with Honor distinction by achieving the highest marks on his AP exams. The soon-to-be first-generation college student is an influential leader in his school community, having served as the vice president of DECA and as a mentor and tutor for SA-NAN. Ibrahima spent time as an instructor and mentor at his local Mosque, where he led prayer and tutored students on the teachings of the Quran — an experience that motivated him to support the founding of the Muslim Students Association. Driven by his passion for impacting economics and bridging the gap for vulnerable communities to experience financial freedom, Ibrahima is off to study business at Tufts University.
Karamoko Fofana
Graduate of SA Harlem 4 ES and SA Harlem North Central MS
Karamoko possesses a unique combination of grit, spunk, commitment, and genuine inquisitiveness. He found passion in being an active member of his Harlem community, and advocated as a Youth Leader with the Alliance of Families for Justice. He consistently challenged himself throughout his time at SA, taking advanced Pre-Med Microbiology and Pathophysiology courses in addition to his AP workload, working as a teacher’s assistant, and honing his performing art skills on, and off, the stage. Karamoko has always been a curious scholar — his studies covered many corners of the sciences from anthropology and astrophysics to genetics — he even conducted research projects with the Lang Science Program at the American Museum of Natural History for seven years! Karamoko will attend College of the Holy Cross this fall with his sights set on a major in Biology and a concentration in Biochemistry.
Kendall Garcia
Graduate of SA Harlem 1 ES and SA Harlem North West MS
Kendall embodied SA pride in every way — she was an academic standout, an active participant in her school community, and a leader among her peers. Committed to her academics, Kendall undertook eight AP courses and earned herself five academic honors, including the National Hispanic Recognition Award. She has stamped her name into the foundation of HSLA-MA, becoming involved in various extracurricular activities like Student Council, the Too-Sturdy Hip-Hop Dance Crew, the Root Awakening Committee, and founded the LatinX Student Alliance. A mover and shaker, Kendall has danced her way through the hearts of many at SA, performing with the coveted OT3 Hip Hop Dance Team, GOA Hip-Hop Dance Club, and Afrobeat Dance Club. With a background of studying neuroscience at Columbia University and interning at the NY Presbyterian Hospital, Kendall will make waves at the University of Pennsylvania, where she will study nursing.
Ann Goldey
Graduate of SA Union Square ES and SA Hudson Yards MS
Ann is a natural-born problem solver who has taken eight AP courses, enrolled dually at Columbia University, and held five honors. She is a leader among her peers and a source of inspiration and support at school and in her community. The two-time Summer Experience fellow was the captain of the SA Network Chess Team — leading her team to first place at the Girls Nationals and second place at the State Championship — the director of SA-NAN, and organizer of HSLA-MA’s first ‘Grade vs. Grade’ spelling bee. Outside of school, Ann is a teacher and junior black belt in Kung Fu and was a member of the Colorado Outward Bound School, where she rafted through the Desolation Canyon in Utah and backpacked the La Sal Mountains. We are excited to see Ann take her passion for adventure and leadership to Cornell University in the fall.
Morgan Hodges
Graduate of SA Harlem 4 ES and SA Harlem West MS
Morgan demonstrates what it means to lead with excellence — continuously challenging herself in every facet of life. Her hard work doesn’t go unnoticed; she was MVP and captain of the women’s basketball team (leading her team to victory with an undefeated record!), earned national recognition as an AP Scholar, and performed as first string with her bass clarinet in the school band. Morgan is committed to the SA community, and finds her hands in a bit of everything — she was the videographer and photographer for SA’s majorettes dance group and a member of the photography club. Adding to her wide range of interests, Morgan spent the summer studying sports analytics at Syracuse University’s Pre-College program. With a profound commitment to equality, Morgan hopes to advocate for inclusivity in sports and affect meaningful change as she heads to Babson College.
Rickelldy Joachim
Graduate of SA Harlem 4 ES and SA Harlem North West MS
In the classroom Rickelldy’s enthusiastic love of learning makes her a credit to all her classes. All the while balancing an intense schedule filled with AP courses, Rickelldy made time to offer outstanding support and serve as a resource for her community and her peers. She is not one to shy away from leadership either — she was on HSLA-MA’s student council, tutored through SA-NAN, and was the vice president of the Crochet Club. Rickelldy is also an active member of her church — she taught children Bible Study and supported churchgoers in accessing health, education, financial, and housing resources and opportunities. With plans to continue honing her generous spirit and helping others, Rickelldy wants to become a nurse. Her first stop is in Ohio, where she will study at Case Western Reserve University.
Mohamed Keita
Graduate of SA Harlem 3 Upper ES and SA Harlem East MS
Known for his tenacity, charisma, and resilience, Mohamed is a beacon in his school community. Throughout his high school career, he has looked for ways to support his peers and create a welcoming learning community — he founded the 1600 Club to boost SAT results through peer mentorship, co-founded the Muslim Student Association, tutored middle schoolers in all core subjects through SA-NAN, and served on HSLA-MA’s sophomore, junior, and senior committees. Academically, Mohamed is no stranger to a challenge – he took a rigorous course load of APs, and studied anthropology and global health through the lens of healthcare access at Brown University’s Summer@Brown Pre-College program. Mohamed plans to become a nurse after studying at Emory University, continuing his resolute commitment to service.
Joseph Leiva
Graduate of SA Harlem 3 Upper ES and SA Harlem East MS
Undeniably ambitious, Joseph continuously aims to spend his time giving back and learning as much as possible. His academic experience can best be defined by his love of STEM and desire to challenge himself. In addition to his APs, he interned with Meyer Cancer Center Institute and studied with the School of the New York Times. Evident throughout his extensive participation in debate, Joseph’s intellectual curiosity shines — he’s nationally recognized as a policy debater! And, Joseph represents SA excellence loudly and proudly. He advocated at town halls as an SA ambassador, organized school-wide events on Student Council, served as co-president and founder of Caribbean Culture Club, and tutored through SA-NAN and as a pre-calculus TA. Hoping to continue impacting positive change in the world, Joseph will attend Case Western Reserve University as a first-generation college student.
Samantha Moya
Graduate of SA Harlem 1 ES and SA Midtown West MS
Distinguished through unwavering dedication and ambition, Samantha is known in the SA community as being an example their peers look up to, and as a radiant, positive energy. Samantha cofounded Latinx Student Alliance and served as the Vice President, creating an inclusive space for Latinx students and a space for students to learn more about Latin culture. Leadership shone through many of Samantha’s interests; they were president of the volleyball club, and were the cofounder and vice president of La Tormenta Dance Troupe and Los Chicos de Campo Band — both of which performed in Root Awakening! Resolutely believing in the importance of advocacy for all, they championed the student voice, working alongside senior leaders. Academically driven, Samantha took a course load full of APs and attended Tuft’s Mini-Med School Pre-College summer program to support their dream of studying Pre-Med. Samantha will continue to pursue an interest in medicine at Claremont McKenna College.
Sumayyah Nassam
Graduate of SA Bronx 1 ES and SA Harlem East MS
Sumayyah has an innate drive for excellence and self-improvement, and she is equally devoted to leading and developing her peers — she inspires just about everybody she meets. She has a resilient spirit that’s embodied in her challenging STEM coursework. She’s a Dual Enrollment scholar who studied Computing in Python through Georgia Tech, completed two years of Pre-Med, and even took seven AP courses throughout her high school career. She also consistently gives back to her community through mentorship and volunteering, mainly with SA-NAN and Girls Support Girls. Sumayyah truly embodies what it means to be a leader to all — she gave tours to incoming scholars and families as an SA-Ambassador, and created a space where people can feel comfortable with their identities, called the Muslim Sister Youth. Her curiosity and generosity will take her to new heights, and she is sure to continue pushing herself at the University of Southern California in the fall.
Joanne Opoku
Graduate of SA Harlem 5 ES and SA Harlem North Central MS
With an impressive academic record and an even more impressive debate record, Joanne is an intellectual and social architect, paving the way for greatness. A debater since seventh grade, Joanne has participated in 16 debate competitions and earned 12 awards, some under her leadership as the debate captain. Joanne is an advocate at her core. As a founding member of DECA, when she looked around the team and noticed that she was the only woman of color in the room, she challenged herself, becoming the team’s president and providing a safe space for other women to feel heard and comfortable to challenge themselves. With a growing interest in Black feminism and cultural production and plans to become a lawyer, Joanne will continue to persist, advocate, and make change as she commits to Amherst College.
Jonai Dezire Marie Perkins
Graduate of SA Bronx 1 ES and SA Harlem East MS
Jonai is committed to being a force of change in her community. She’s trailblazed at HSLA-MA — she created Helping Hands, a community service club, made it onto the competitive hip-hop dance team OT3 as an underclassman, and co-founded Cosmetology Club, a space meant to teach young Black women about their power and beauty. Her talent and skill is not only noticed at SA; she has choreographed many dances, earning top place distinctions at state competitions! As if her plate weren’t full enough, she co-hosted HSLA’s news show ‘The Hawkeye’, served on the student council as secretary, maintained Honor Roll with a difficult course load, tutored elementary school scholars, and was a leader at her church. Jonai plans to further her passion of helping others by becoming a nurse — but first she’s taking her contagious go-getter attitude to SUNY University at Buffalo!
Oded Rodriguez
Graduate of SA Bronx 1 ES and SA Harlem East MS
A fiercely magnetic scholar who leads with compassion and resilience, Oded has an incredible ability to bring her classmates together in collaboration. Whether she was serving as editor-in-chief with The Orange (HSLA’s student-led newspaper), being the creative director for Hawkeye, assisting her peers as a CAPtain, or working as a teaching assistant with the operations team, Oded’s known for her exceptional guidance. Her academic excellence was epitomized through her rigorous course load, her excellent GPA, and in her Summer Experience programs — she aced her psychology course at Barnard College and the NYC Theatre Food & Culture class with the School of The New York Times Summer Academy. She’s sure to have a lasting impact on Tufts University’s campus, where she will be a first-generation college student.
Michael Solano
Graduate of SA Bronx 2 ES and SA Bronx 2 MS
Michael is no stranger to capturing, and making, history at SA. Fascinated by the potential to fuse programming with the arts, he finds opportunities to combine his passions with every opportunity. The poster-child for SA Dual Enrollment programs, Michael developed fluency in Python in Georgia Tech’s asynchronous computer science program, and mastered analog photography, building up his professional portfolio, at the International Center of Photography. In the summers, he was a Summer Experience fellow with Upperline Code and studied at University of Rochester’s Pre-College program, where he grew skills that supplemented his roles as Vice President of Studio Squad, SA’s photography club, and Lead Editor and Filmmaker of Hawkeye, SA’s student-led news crew. Eager to continue developing in the world of photography and software development, Michael plans to double major in computer science and art at Bowdoin College.
Corinne Starke
Graduate of SA Upper West ES and SA Midtown West MS
A scholar, a mentor, a visionary — Corinne is ready for what awaits her after HSLA. A teacher’s assistant for the last three years, Corinne took pride in her ability to lead and shepherd her peers to reach their goals. While doing so, she conquered her own as an all-honors student, having taken nine APs and consistently making the honor roll. Corinne also spent time fostering community. She served as the Theater Tech Crew Communications Manager, delegating and directing school plays while mentoring over 20 members, and as a founding member of Preemptive Love’s Global Youth Chapter, she provided a safe space for teenagers to gather and give back. Corinne is headed to Covenant College next fall, where she plans to hone her love for film, theater, and writing as she studies Humanities.
Marthe Edwige Tonye
Graduate of SA Cobble Hill ES and SA Myrtle MS
Marthe learned that the world is her classroom from a young age, and the Cameroon native takes pride in challenges and turns them into opportunities to grow. Academically, Marthe is impressive, having taken 12 Honors and AP courses. A two-time Summer Experience Fellow, Marthe studied at Brown, learning about landmark case files, and at Smith Pre-College where she studied Global Women’s Health. Her diligence earned her the Shining Star Award. Bringing her shine to the SA community, Marthe co-founded and served as vice president of HSLA-MA’s chapter of Model United Nations to get her peers excited and interested in current events and equip them with the tools they need to advocate for others. The first in her family to graduate from high school, Marthe will make Cornell University her oyster next fall with plans to study law and become an attorney.
Fode Toure
Graduate of SA Harlem 3 Upper ES and SA Harlem East MS
Fode is a well-rounded scholar through and through — all the way from engineering to theater production. He has a remarkable ability to captivate the attention of an audience; whether that be in his starring roles in a myriad of plays, performances with the choir and band, or in the hallways and classrooms at HSLA, Fode makes the SA community more joyful. Beyond the stage, Fode is ambitious and ready for an academic challenge — having taken seven AP classes — and is passionate about improving his community and helping others grow. Fode tutored rising high schoolers in geometry through SA-NAN, and was a teacher’s assistant for AP Statistics. He plans to take this interest in STEM (and the NYC subway system!) all the way to Lehigh University, where he will major in civil engineering.
Mekhai Valentine
Graduate of SA Bronx 1 ES and SA Harlem East MS
In addition to his near 4.0 GPA, Mekhai brings a level of vigor and fervor to his musical pursuits, leadership roles, and academic undertakings. Mekhai earned himself a seat in the Advanced STEM track and has immersed himself in the world of biological science — he’s completed pathophysiology, medical microbiology, and bioethics courses, and investigated biotechnology during his Summer Experience Fellowship with University of Chicago. He shows up as a leader in the SA arts community, too. Mekhai is talented with the trombone and guitar, was Vice-President of the Music Department, deemed a leader of the Hawk Street Jazz Band, AND founded the first student-led music club at HSLA-MA, The New Music Club, geared towards the expression and creativity of music. Mekhai will develop his interdisciplinary interests at Tufts University, elevating their academic and artistic community on campus in the fall.
