AUGUSTA, Ga. – Valedictorian, Jakeila Baker, 17, from Lucy C. Laney High School never imagined that she could achieve “such a big goal.”

The Augusta teen was accepted into over 50 colleges and earned 1.3 million dollars worth of scholarships.

Baker’s accomplishments are especially impressive considering everything on her plate. She is involved in a variety of sports including volleyball and has taken on roles in extracurricular clubs.

Consequently, she expressed that she sacrificed her social life to maintain her 4.1 GPA.

Baker thanks her mother, Denise Richards, who is a retired Army veteran who pushed her to do her best and to stay on course. Richards stated that anything Jakeila puts her mind to, she, “exceeds and excels.”

In light of this accomplishment, Baker tells high schoolers to never give up and that though applying to colleges is tough, through perseverance, goals are attainable.

Baker applied to around 65 schools and got accepted into a majority of them.

It’s safe to say that hard work pays off.