Photos courtesy of Amara Leggett
Yes, you read the headline correctly. Amara Leggett, now 18, graduated from Columbus State Community College at the age of 16. She attended New Albany High School and went to a meeting in 8th grade that centered around a program called College Credit Plus, an extension of Post Secondary Enrollment Options Program. CCP allows high school juniors and seniors to take courses at a college level. Amazingly, Leggett started her first college class at just 14 and didn’t look back.
Of course, going into college at such a young age comes with some challenges, but Leggit faced them head-on. She hadn’t yet taken a chemistry high school class, but was thrust into a college-level chemistry course that required an immense amount of work.
“It was a time of pushing myself past my limits,” Leggett says.
Not to mention getting to campus every day – her mom driving her back and forth. It was a constant juggling act.
“On Saturdays I would wake up at 8 a.m. and be on campus until 4 p.m.,” Leggett says. “It made me a better student.”
She began a blog to document her journey in hopes that she could help others. The opportunity was so life-changing that she believes everyone should take advantage of CCP. As her story got out, people began reaching out for advice. Leggett soon came up with a three-step process for success and told them onstage at a New Albany Tedx Talk called Develop A Plan, Make The Impossible Possible.
“I was not a public speaker before then and it was the best challenge I’ve ever had,” Leggett says. “Ever since then, I’ve been able to speak. A lot of people started asking me to talk at schools, so I tried it out and loved it.”
In February, Leggett was invited to do her first corporate speaking engagement in New York City and most recently she’s been asked to speak at an 8th grade commencement. She says her motivation and drive stems from her support system – particularly her mom, who is also her business partner and manager.
“My mom has been a big influence,” Leggett says. “She puts me in front of the right things to experience.”
Though she has a few weeks before she begins a new internship at Guardian Life Insurance, Leggett has no plans to relax. She’s busy launching a campaign to promote diversity since there is a lack of it in the activities and groups she enjoys.
Leggett advises anyone who wants to follow her pursuit of success to make goals, understand their purpose beforehand and figure out the steps to achieve their dreams. She has an overall mindset that revolves around the betterment of the community, as if her purpose is to not only climb to great success, but to reach down and help others along the way.
“A lot of the time we can discover that there are people who have achieved the same thing we want to,” Leggett says. “We know the path they’ve gone on. We never have to walk around in the dark.”
She’s lit the path for others who dare to follow, giving young people affirmation that seemingly impossible goals can be conquered.
“I bring help to people who really need it and figure out how we can get there all together.”
Mallory Arnold is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at marnold@cityscenemediagroup.com.
