Cameron Clarke, an African-American high school senior from Philadelphia, is being celebrated for getting a perfect score on the SAT exam, reports Fox News. His academic achievement is enormous, but we're equally impressed by what he said to local news station Fox 29 about his priorities, his real passion and the beyond-his-years value he places on the support of his community.
On when he found out:
"I woke up and checked my score on my cell phone and I didn't believe it at first, so I kept refreshing the page and after five to 10 times refreshing I woke my parents up. 'Mom, dad I got a perfect score!'"
On the worst moment during the exam:
"I realized with 5 minutes to spare that I made a mistake and I need to erase 35 bubbles and go back and write them in the right sections. So that was kind of the low point of the day for me."
On why he doesn't spend all his time studying:
"Music is what takes up most of my time," Cameron says. He is the [principal] cellist of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, and involved at school as the editor on the school newspaper, a writing advisor in the school's writing center, senator in the student government, is involved in the math club, and in multiple honor societies, Fox 29 reports.
Oh his college plans:
"My first choice is probably Princeton University, I applied early action."
On his time in high school:
"I try to stay busy here as much as I can just because the community has given so much to me, and I try to give back in whatever ways I can."
Read more at myfoxphilly.com.