Local News
Kalauna Carter: How to Suceed in School
Of The Skanner News
D
e La Salle North
Catholic alumnus
Kalauna Carter this
year was named an HBCU
All-Star by the White House
Initiative on Historically
Black Colleges and Univer-
sities.
The Skanner News asked
Carter, a Tuskeegee Univer-
sity student, about how she
has succeeded in school so
far.
The Skanner News:
What keeps you motivated
to succeed in school and
community service even
though you are so far from
home?
Kalauna Carter: My
relationship with God most
definitely keeps me moti-
vated, but also knowing that
I am paving the way for
those coming behind me to
be successful. I hope that
my success will open more
opportunities for them than
I ever had for myself.
Everything that I do is not
for me, it’s for others. As a
child my parents instilled
early just how important it
is to give back and as I have
become a young adult, I see
just how important it is. For
the past two, going on three,
years I have been volunteer-
ing with “I Am My
Brother’s Keeper” Mentor-
ing and Tutoring progam in
the local Tuskegee commu-
nity. Being in college I see
just how important it is to
strengthen the youth around
us in every aspect, especial-
ly
academically
and
socially. They are why I
choose to give back; so to
an extent, my success is big-
ger than me. It is not just my
success, it’s our success and
their success is my success.
communities. My family
and those who looked after
me were the ones who
pushed me the most.
TSN: What advice would
you give to upcoming stu-
dents who are thinking
about applying to colleges
today?
Carter: Don’t think of
college as one big party or
negatively as more school in
addition to high school, but
think of it as a door to a
world of opportunities that
will make life so much more
sweet, easy and beneficial.
College is the only place
where you’ll be around peo-
ber, etc. Just be you; God
made you special in your
Being in college I see just how
important it is to strengthen the
youth around us in every
aspect, especially
academically and socially
ple your age with the
freedom to do and become
what you want. Don’t com-
pare yourself to anyone, not
myself, not a family mem-
own way with your own tal-
ents and gifts. Remember to
keep God at the root of
everything that you do.
Kalauna Carter
TSN: What is your life
goal, what do you want to
achieve from earning a col-
lege degree?
Carter: To be able to pro-
vide more opportunities to
other young girls and young
boys who come after me. I
want my college degree to
say that I have learned a
foundation that will prepare
me for not only the techni-
cal aspects of my field, but
the real world as a whole.
TSN: Is there anyone who
has inspired you along the
way?
Carter: There are so
many, but I will keep this
list short: my parents, my
brother, my sister, my
cousins, childhood friends,
and the women of the Les
Femmes Debutantes of
Portland, Oregon. Each of
them affected me in a differ-
ent way by helping me to
mature and inspiring me
along the way, teaching me
valuable lessons. When I
was younger I was very
involved in various pro-
grams throughout the local
Portland and Vancouver
November 5, 2014 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Page 7