2025 Valedictorian Winner

The Foundation has selected Mr. Saheed Shofu to be the 2025 Valedictorian Scholarship recipient. Saheed is an 18-year-old immigrant from Lagos, Nigeria, whose journey to this moment is nothing short of inspiring. Despite immense challenges, including living without his parents, facing eviction, and discrimination, he has thrived through resilience, hard work, and a deep passion for education. A standout scholar from Alief Hastings High School, Saheed has maintained a 4.3 GPA, participated in multiple sports, earned national recognition through the QuestBridge Finalist program, and received accolades for his poetry and public speaking. More than his accomplishments, it’s Saheed’s unwavering empathy, adaptability, and vision for inclusive education that set him apart. He aspires to become an English educator who empowers students of all backgrounds to believe in their worth and potential. 

Saheed's story is one of many, many stories of immigrants who are blessed by the freedom and generosity of our Promised Land, blossom, and in turn make America great!

Mr. Saheed Shofu's Scholarship Essay

I am Saheed Shofu, a 18 years old boy who was originally born in Lagos, Nigeria but moved to the United States in 2017 in pursuit of better education and other succeeding opportunities. Since immigrating to the United States at the age of nine, I have lived without my biological parents and under the care of my older sister, Balikis Shofu, who is my legal guardian. My separated parents remain in Nigeria and have been unable to contribute financially due to inefficiencies in transferring money from Naira to dollars and their struggles in our low-developed home-country. My sister has worked tirelessly to support me, but our journey has been fraught with financial hardships, including periods of unemployment, eviction, and reliance on public transportation.

From a very young age, I have always been captivated by educators, and for a long time,they  have been the stars I aspired to shine as bright as. Although growing up, I was frequently hit with a melancholy pang and a feeling of discouragement in becoming an educator when I noticed how individuals with similar identity markers like mine were made to feel indignity in society. That awful feeling crushed me knowing that people like me who were either raised in a low-income household, born to uneducated parents, a person of color, a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, or immigrants, were faced with several obstacles because of our identity.

For more than half of my life, I have been in a state of isolation and insecurities because of the dishonoring experiences I have faced as a dark-complexioned, gay, Nigerian boy. Throughout my journey, I have felt unrecognized and hesitant in my abilities. I wasn't the child who grew up in a household where I was occasionally shown deep affection, I wasn’t the naturally intelligent kid, one who grew up with several resources that propelled their knowledge, or the child who lived in a household that taught the true importance of self-confidence.

From being enrolled in a local boarding school in Nigeria at the age of seven, to coming to the United States at the age of nine, my journey has been filled with several aspects that devalued my human potential. In boarding school, I was often expected to know what I was being asked all the time, I received excessive mistreatment by getting flogged for making simple mistakes as a child, and my uneducated parents often pressured me to be among the straight-A students at my school. These were things I deeply struggled with as a child. In the U.S. I’m constantly thrust into the negative assumptions that follow being “black” in America, I’m sometimes insulted for my queer identity, and I was bullied because of my dark complexion and early Nigerian accent. These eye-opening experiences that discriminated not only against my race, but also my complexion, my sexuality, and my accent further increased my sense of discouragement in succeeding at any I wanted to do in life, especially becoming an educator because I felt devalued and judged in my surroundings.

Despite these challenges, I remain committed to my education and personal growth. Throughout my years in high school, I was recognized as an Honor roll student and stayed at the top of my class by maintaining a GPA of 4.3 since my freshman year. Amidst I was also among various organizations and teams at my school such as being a tri-athlete who’s been on my school’s tennis team through my 4 years of high school, Track and field team for 2 years, and Swim for a year. In addition, I have been selected among other students in groups such as African Student Association, National Honor Society and National Technical Society, Texas Association for Future Educators, and more. I have received awards such as getting a Honorable Mention Award for Poetry in the 2024 Scholastic Art and Writing Competition and being selected as a Questbridge Finalist, a national scholarship that recognizes students who are first generation, low-income, and high achieving. Being a part of all these organizations guided me to find strength in having confidence in my abilities, expressing characteristics of leadership, building resilience, mental fortitude, and determination to succeed. They not only shaped my character but fueled my desire to create a better future for myself and others.

Furthermore, my passion for teaching stems from the inspiration I’ve drawn from educators in my Alief Independent School District who embraced diversity and created inclusive spaces for students like me. Teachers such as Mr. Jackson, Ms. Magana, and Ms. G demonstrated that identity markers like race, sexuality, or accent should not limit one’s ability to inspire others. Their empathy and encouragement made me feel valued and confident in pursuing a career in education. Additionally, tutoring younger peers on my high school tennis team allowed me to witness the transformative power of mentorship, further solidifying my commitment to becoming an educator.

This scholarship will reduce some of the financial burdens that come with being a first generation, low income, immigrant, queer student while allowing me to focus on developing the skills necessary to achieve my goals. As someone who has faced systemic barriers due to my undocumented status and uncommon identity, I understand the importance of creating equitable opportunities for all students. With this support, I will be able to dedicate myself fully to becoming a teacher who fosters inclusivity, dignity, and empowerment for students from diverse backgrounds.

This scholarship represents more than financial aid—it is a lifeline that will enable me to overcome the barriers I face as an undocumented first-generation black gay Nigerian student. With this opportunity, I will use this income to have the resources needed to succeed in my future educational institution and be able to work passionately and tirelessly to create classrooms where every student feels seen, valued, and empowered to succeed. I want to use my space to make them feel dignified like those teachers who used their transmotive power of being an educator to make me feel certain in my abilities. I will be a teacher who teaches through an equity-oriented lens that makes students feel worthy and equal to their peers despite their race, skin complexion, sexuality, distinct backgrounds, and other identity markers.