H.D. Woodson High School student Octavia Starkey said she was “jumping off the walls” when she got her acceptance letter to West Point Preparatory School, an accomplishment that required a Congressional nomination from DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes-Norton. Knowing that she wouldn’t be able to afford school, Octavia put her “heart and soul into going to a service academy”: “I want to do something that not everyone can really do.” On top of a full course load at Woodson, including AP classes, Octavia also works more than 40 hours per week to support herself. She’s always wanted to be involved in physical therapy, so she’s planning to study kinesiology at West Point. When asked if she’s nervous for this next step, she’s cool and collected: “I’m not really scared. I like a challenge.” Her advice for her peers is simple: “No matter where you come from, nothing can stop you.” #DCPSGoesToCollege
