Nasir, 12, joined the ECS Beacon at its inception in 2001 and continues to participate in the ECS Out of School Time (OST) program which replaced the Beacon in 2009.
"We always knew that there was something special about him," said Christian Holland, who directs the program. "Over the years, Nasir has thrived."
Participation in an evidence-based youth development model and a Scouts program helped Nasir overcome some behavioral issues to rise to the top of his class at Feltonville Arts and Sciences. He then transferred to the highly competitive Julia R. Masterman School, considered one of the best college preparatory public schools in the region. Although he hasn't settled on a single career path, he is interested in becoming a medical doctor.
"We are all proud of Nasir and all of his accomplishments," said Holland. "He continues to thrive and grow academically, socially and physically under the leadership of our program."