HE GOT INTO HARVARD. WHAT LIKE IT’S HARD? YES, IT IS!
MARINA, CA – Northern California’s Drake Johnson, of Marina, CA, has defied the stigma that is often associated with cheerleaders. The Marina High School senior is heading to Harvard University in the Fall of 2018. He is a member of the Livermore, CA based California All Stars cheerleading program, competing for the past five seasons with the gym. As a member of the reigning World Champion Senior Medium Coed 5 team, Black Ops, he discussed with us the grueling academic and athletic schedule that he balances.
The student athlete travels some two hours each way from his home in Marina, CA to the gym location in Livermore, CA. That coupled with four hours of practice makes for a delicate balancing, and prioritizing of responsibilities for the high-school senior. Johnson describes his schedule as “exhausting” adding that he works to maintain a similar sleep/work schedule even when he’s not commuting to the gym for practice sessions. Johnson of his coaches, “there are so many values they instill in us.” He adds that their focus on working through the grit and persistence is key to achieving get to the goals you have in life.
Johnson has been accepted at the following colleges, and universities:
California State Schools
University of California Berkley
University of California San Diego
University of California Santa Barbara
University of California Los Angeles
Private Colleges
Georgetown University in Washington, DC
Ivy League Universities
Harvard University in Cambridge, MA
Cornell University in Ithaca, NY
Dartmouth University in Hanover, NH
Brown University in Providence, RI
Recently, the athlete celebrated his accolades on social media, celebrating his acceptance and decision to attend Harvard University to focus on a degree in Government and Political Science.
Johnson like many graduating seniors took to social media to celebrate, and declare their intent for their future education tweeting, “It’s official, I’m Harvard bound #harvard2022” from his personal account @_littledrizzy.
When the student athlete was met with an unwarranted reply by an account that declares themselves as an Educator, and former Texas State Board of Education member, and future candidate for the Texas State Board of Education (2018).
It was clear to the internet that the impolite reply, was an attempt to diminish the success that Johnson has achieved for himself through hard work. Like most situations the internet is self policing, and Mr. Clayton was met with defense of Johnson across the United States, and world.
As for Johnson, his handling of the situation serves as a great reminder of the importance of choice when dealt situations that can go two directions. Johnson chose to reply the question by further supporting his successes with more evidence of his merited admission to the above schools.
Drakes decision showed an acute awareness that nothing good would have been served by the snide “clap-back”. He describes his decision as kind of sitting back and thinking carefully before replying. Drake said, “he channeled former First Lady Michelle Obama in deciding that when they go low, we go high.”
Johnson says, in closing our interview one piece of advice for athletes and students alike, “have faith in yourself, have confidence in yourself, if you believe something can happen, you can make it happen.”
This Harvard, and Cheerleading Worlds bound high-school senior has a bright future, which includes his goal of becoming the President of the United States. We cannot wait to watch Johnson thrive as an athlete, and a scholar in his future endeavors, but first we can thank him for teaching today’s generation of social media users that this generation can be different.
Learn more about the California All Stars
