From Hamilton County to Harvard

A Soddy Daisy student is going from Hamilton County to Harvard. After graduating in a few days Blake Wilkey will spend the summer preparing to join the student body at Harvard University. Blake Wilkey is a straight A student, taught himself in three subjects and composes his own concertos.

"I play way too much chess, it's a problem sometimes. I tutor people, so I am in this building a lot more than I should be for my health," says Wilkey.

That hard work paid off. Soon he will trade in the Trojan logo for that of the Harvard Crimson. In the past year Blake applied to Harvard, Duke, Vanderbilt, and Princeton and... Ended up getting a full ride to none other than Harvard University. According to his college advisor, Cindy Adamz he is one of only a handful of Soddy Daisy graduates who have achieved the honor.

"Blake is just a notch above he is a great student," says Adamz.

Adamz says she believes Blake's acceptance not only had to do with his ability, but also Harvard's new plan to help exceptional students.

According to an article in the New York Times, Harvard University is providing full scholarships for students who make the cut, but have parents who make less than sixty-thousand dollars a year. Adamz says Blake fits that criteria.

"I knew he was going to get in I couldn't imagine anyone not accepting him," says Adamz.

Blake is not only the first to graduate from his family but when you ask Blake Wilkey about himself, he seems like a normal eighteen year old... Who happens to be extremely motivated.

"I'm not going to Harvard so I can make all A's I am going so I can learn an hopefully better myself on campus and then contribute to that field afterwards. so if i get a couple of B's its not going to really be a big deal," says Wilkey.