By Yaw Wiafe-Akenten Staff writer
Senior Donald McCowan III may seem like an ordinary student, but he’s actually one of Renaissance’s rising stars. Honor roll student, entrepreneur, artist and traceur, Donald shows that getting good grades and having a great time isn’t a fantasy.
SCHOLAR – Donald is always on the honor roll, but he’s also been selected for prestigious scholarships such as the Real Life 101 scholarship. The Real Life 101 scholarship has schools select their highest achieving male seniors to compete for college tuition.
“Donald is a gentleman. He’s very respectful, beats deadlines and consistently gets his work in,” said AP biology teacher Ms. Newell.
ARTIST – Donald can “art” and he can “art very well”. Donald is an award-winning artist and had his work featured in exhibits. He has been awarded scholarships to attend college design classes from the GM You Can Make A Difference program. He loves drawing concept cars and shoes and wishes to one day sell his designs.
ENTREPRENEUR – They don’t call him Donald Trump for nothing. Donald has experimented with many different fields of business during his high school years-- from Ebay to bake sales to trading stocks. He’s currently working with the Future Project and venture capitalists so he can open his open his own gym.
“My dream is to one day own and run a successful business,” said Donald.
Traceur – A traceur is someone who practices parkour and free running, and that’s exactly who Donald is. He can do everything from back flips to climbing walls. He’s been practicing for so many years that he doesn’t even hesitate when executing a flip from a 6ft. tall wall.
“I’ve never seen someone back flip like Donald… his confidence and style is so powerful,” said senior Mafellus Fuller.
Watch Donald in action on our Youtube page: Phoenix Rising News
