June/July 2018 Newsletter: Student Spotlight—Dalton Mosley
When Dalton Mosley finished eighth grade last year, he had earned a 2.9 GPA. At the end of the third quarter of this year, his freshman year, he’d improved his GPA to a 4.0. His significant improvement turned heads and earned him the Minority Achievement Committee Scholars Gold Medal Award last month. Spend a few minutes with Dalton and it’s clear he has a self-awareness about him that’s far beyond his 15 years. He doesn’t have a universal recipe for success, but he has one that works for him: work hard at school and spend time with family. Read more about the remarkable Dalton Mosley.
When did you arrive in Shaker?
I came in the seventh grade after we moved from Chicago. When I first came to the Middle School, I was adjusting to a new school and new people and trying to be myself. Then the classes hit me and the foreign language hit me. I think Middle School really grabbed me by the collar and showed me that I was on my own. I was scared at first, but I’m a talkative and open person, so I was able to make friends with some really great people and that helped me progress.
How did you go from a 2.9 at the end of eighth grade to a 4.0 at the end of your freshman year?
I know that I didn’t take Middle School all that seriously. Then, I was looking at my grades at the end of last year and I was asking myself why I wasn’t get all As. When I got to high school, something just clicked. I decided that I wanted to take honors classes because I thought about all the skills that I wanted to obtain. My mom and dad said that I should face challenges in high school and this was a challenge that I wanted to face. Now that I have all As, I want to keep it that way. I’ve told [MAC Scholars advisor and guidance counselor] Mrs. McGovern that I don’t know why or how it happened, but it did.
How has the MAC Scholars program impacted you?
I take an interest in things that give me a sense of pride. And that’s what MAC Scholars does for me. I know that there are a lot of black males like me who are succeeding and some who aren’t succeeding. MAC made me feel like being black is awesome. And getting the Gold Medal Award this year was huge. I’m glad that I earned it, but I also want people to know that it could just as easily be them on the stage.
What are your interests outside school?
When I get home from school, I focus on my homework and then I just do typical teenage things. But mostly, I enjoy just experiencing the fact that I’m at home and spending time with my family. We’re a really close, tight-knit group. They’re the reason that I’m able to move forward. I look to them for guidance and appreciate them so much.
What’s your advice to incoming freshman next year?
It’s pretty straightforward: do what you’re told by your teachers. They’re adults and they’re experienced, so listen. Take it slow and don’t move too fast. Find your footing and then go about how you’d like. Get to know your teachers because the more you do, they’ll be open to helping you. Use email as much as you can to communicate with teachers—every time I have a problem, I email my teachers and they respond right away. Go to conferences. Take risks. But make sure you have fun and enjoy High school. It’s going to get hard, just don’t give up. Work hard because you’ll be stronger in the end.