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Derrell Nelson, wilson graduate

 

Derrell Nelson

Wilson Magnet High School Class of 2011

Le Moyne College Class of 2015

Playing basketball since he was nine, Rochester-native and Wilson Magnet High School graduate Derrell Nelson has continued to fuel a passion for the sport that led him to travel and study internationally. 

Derrell is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Business Administration at Cardiff University, where he’s the starting shooting guard for the Men’s Basketball team. Cardiff University is one of the 24 Russell Group universities in the UK which is the equivalent of an Ivy League school in the US.  Previously to his studies in the UK, he attended Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York.

After graduation, Derrell plans to try out for several BBL (British Basketball League) teams and playing professional basketball in the United Kingdom but his long term goal is to ultimately give back to his community in Rochester. Derrell has a business plan and has begun to seek sponsorship for the development of a basketball camp program for inner city youth in Rochester. The primary goal of the camp will be to assist players both academically as well as athletically so they may approach their senior year of high school with a full academic/athletic scholarship to a college or university.  Eventually, the goal is for the camp to go nationwide, helping young basketball players across the country realize their potential at a young age while increasing the enrollment of black males in college institutions.

Derrell currently runs a charity that collects school supplies for youth in Kingston, Jamaica with a local drop-off at Rochester’s School 19. More information and how to contribute >

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Elyssia Primus

  

  Elyssia Primus graduated from RCSD’s School of the Arts in 2010 as a dance major. She went on to attend an accelerated 6-year Physical Therapy program at Nazareth College of Rochester. On May 8 2016 Elyssia graduated with a doctorate in Physical Therapy degree. Elyssia was inspired to become a Physical Therapist after taking anatomy class as a dance major at SOTA and by the Physical Therapist who treated dancers backstage during the annual SOTA dance concert. Elyssia’s passion is in the field of research, she would like to pursue a career in prosthetics research in order to help people regain movement and quality of life.

Maggie Kiley, SOTA Alumni
 

 
Maggie Kiley, SOTA class of 1991, has just released her 2nd full-length film, 'Dial a Prayer'. 'Dial a Prayer' is a coming-of-age comedy starring Brittany Snow, William H. Macy, Glenne Headly, and Tom Lipinski. Ms. Kiley is also a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts where she received a BFA in theater.
 
'I have faith that this little film will find its audience and that I will keep making movies. Because I truly believe that if you tell the truth and work hard, the stories will get told.', says Kiley of her recent work.

Ms. Kiley’s also has a new thriller currently in post-production named 'Caught' starring Anna Camp, Sam Page and Stefanie Scott. Kiley's first full-length directorial credit is 2013's 'Brightest Star.'

 

Tatiana Williams, Alumni of School of the Arts (SOTA) Class of 2012


Tatiana Williams
 
 
Tatiana Williams, a junior at Syracuse University, has been selected to be a 2016 Senior Class Marshall. Tatiana is a social work and pre-law major. Her plans upon graduation are to attend law school. 
 
 
 
Adrian Hale,  Alumni of John Marshall High School Class of 2007
 
 
Adrian Hale, RCSD Alumnist

Adrian Hale grew up in Rochester, NY on the city's northeast side. The environment that Adrian grew up in was one where families were broken; and people are filled with hopelessness and helplessness. His neighborhood was one that was heavily stricken with crime, poverty, drugs, and violence. However, through faith in God, a strong sense of purpose, and a love for sports Adrian would soon discover that his path would become much different than the lives of the many people who were around him. Through his faith in God he would find the inspiration to see a need to change the massive amounts of suffering to the many around him, here is where he would find his purpose, to help alleviate the pain of others. And his pursuits in athletics would allow him to cultivate the strength, discipline, drive, and motivation to succeed.

At 18 years old Adrian would graduate from with a regents diploma in 2007 from John Marshall High School, a school in the Rochester City School District. Two weeks later after graduating Adrian would enlist into the United States Marine Corps where he would serve his country for the duration of five years. During Adrian’s enlistment he would deploy twice to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and also would participate in the 2010 Rim of the Pacific exercise or RIMPAC (which is the worlds largest naval warfare exercise.)            

Adrian was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in March of 2012. But a continuing passion for service and a sense of duty to our nation lead Adrian to re-enlisting into the Air Force reserve in the summer of 2012. In the world’s greatest Air Force Adrian would serve in the 30th Aerial Port squadron and serve as a member of the commander support staff.

In the fall of 2012 Adrian would begin his college career as a student at SUNY Monroe Community College. It would not take long before Adrian would apply his same sense of dedication and duty he had for his country to his school. After the devastation of hurricane Sandy on our nation’s northeastern seaboard Adrian would organize with a classmate and lead his class in raising $2,000 dollars in six hours to assist the Red Cross in their relief efforts. Adrian would also become a student leader by being elected by his peers and fellow classmates to become the Speaker of the Senate for the student government association. But Adrian’s dedication to excel didn’t just remain in his service to his fellow students and to his school, but it carried over into the classroom as well. As a student at MCC Adrian maintained a 4.0 GPA and was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa honor society as a result of his success in his academics. All of these accomplishments allowed Adrian to be a recipient of the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a student in the State University of New York, The SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. Then in the spring of 2014 Adrian would graduate from Monroe Community College with distinction and receive an offer of admission from Yale University where he is currently a junior. At Yale Adrian is majoring in Political Science and was just recently selected to be a director's fellow at the Yale Institution for Social and Policy Studies. Upon graduation Adrian wishes to continue to serve his country as an officer in the Marine Corps reserve as well as pursue a career in politics.

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