LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kevashea Wright has the right stuff.
Despite suffering personal tragedy, the senior at Iroquois High School in Louisville is a standout in the classroom and everywhere else.
She has a 4.2 GPA in the school’s business pathway and is president of the National Honor Society and secretary of the Future Business Leaders of America. She’s a Student Council representative, a student ambassador, a peer tutor and a member of “Aspire Higher” and the Black Student Union.
She’s also on the Louisville Mayor’s Youth Ambassador Program and served as co-chair of the “Red Ribbon Week,” in addition to multiple other volunteer efforts. She’s also captain of the IHS Varsity Step team.
Wright does all of this despite her mother, the woman who raised her as a single mom, passing away last summer.
"When I first lost my mother, it was a difficult time," Wright said. "My family was not only grieving; they were trying to see what they were going to do with us, like with custody."
"I went to Camp Piomingo just to get my mind off of it. I came back after three weeks and said, 'You know what, I'm going to try to be what my mother has wanted, be achieving, be on track, be what I want to be.' So that's been a mindset throughout this year.”
Her math teacher, Leila Martinez, said many people don’t realize what Wright has gone through because she always has a smile on her face. But those who do know her are amazed at her resilience and positivity.
"This is the whole reason why I came into teaching – to see someone that might have a struggle at some points or some trauma," Martinez said. "They're going through something, as everybody does, and they push through in such a beautiful way. It's not the negative side."
"I might have gone through this, but I'm going to push through, and I'm going to be the best that I can be. That's where she's at right now.”
As for the future, Wright wants to be a criminal defense attorney.
"I'm always trying to overstep myself because I know I can reach higher if I try it," Wright said. "I want to be a lawyer, so it makes me want to achieve. I know I'm smart, so all I have to do is prove that I'm smart.”
Martinez said she has no doubt Wright will achieve her goals and will help others along the way as a natural leader.
"Everything she does, she does it with passion; you can hear her voice," Martinez said. "She is not one to shy away; if I have to show you how to do it, I will, because we're going to get through this’”.
Wright said he she may encounter doubters, but she won’t let them slow her down.
“It's one life you have," she said. "Go ahead; do it."
"If people judge, people judge. It's whatever you want to be. You will become a great person if you're confident, more out there. You'll get more out of your experience.”
It’s a reason Wright is a deserving High School Scholar. She’ll attend the University of Cincinnati to study Criminal Justice, and Spectrum News 1 is proud to award her a $1,000 college scholarship.
