CCSD students wins two Cherry Creek Schools Foundation scholarships
For recently-graduated Overland High School alum Jelane Elamo, giving back is one of the most important things in her life.
Elamo, who was recently awarded the AVID Dare to Dream scholarship and the Linn Hogue Memorial Scholarship on behalf of the Cherry Creek Schools Foundation, will be attending the University of Minnesota and would like to pursue a career in the medical field.
“Pharmacy is my current plan, but I really want to give back to the people who supported me,” Elamo said. “I’m a first-generation college student and know many people in my life who sacrificed for me so I can make the world a better place.”
Elamo was born in the Oromia region of Ethiopia in the town of Hasasa. After moving to America and attending Cherry Creek Schools, would like to return to her country to support a hospital or pharmacy.
“One of the most important lessons I learned was how important it is to ask for help,” Elamo shared. “When I first came to this country, I was scared to speak because of the language barrier but was afraid to ask people to talk slower. When I realized that asking for help isn’t a weakness, I was able to make huge strides in my education and in my life.”
Elamo has been active at Overland High School, joining the Activities Council and organizing the Ethiopian/Oromo dance group to perform traditional dances at the newly-returned Culture Night. The event had lapsed since the pandemic arrived in 2020 when Elamo was a freshman, and she wanted to work with others to celebrate the diversity of her school once it was safe to do so.
“I went to my first Culture Night in eighth grade when my sister was at Overland.” Elamo said. “It was so cool and I’m really honored to be part of it."
Elamo was also on Student Council, helping to organize Overland’s Wish Week, Homecoming, and other events. The Wish Week of Elamo’s junior year honored a child from Ethiopia and Elamo was able to help connect with the family and translate for them. She was also a member of the Muslim Student Alliance and raised money through bake sales and also played tennis for the first time as a sophomore.
“I had never played tennis, but made varsity my first year. I was fortunate to have mentors and coaches help me improve and was team captain this year,” Elamo said.
Elamo hopes her experience encourages others to try new things. She said she never felt like she had to choose between academics and extracurriculars and that trying lots of different things made her a well-rounded person.
“You’ll be surprised and prove to yourself that you are much more capable than you think you are,” Elamo said.
