Vryheid’s Lust is a small village on the East Coast of Guyana, just six miles from the capital, Georgetown. It is also the birth home of Kelly Hyles, an extraordinary young lady.
At age 11, Kelly and her family moved from Guyana to Brooklyn, New York. And from the beginning of her school life in America, she shone. In eighth grade, Kelly successfully applied to a special program that focuses on math, science, and engineering.
Kelly had specifically applied to the science track of the program, which included a half day at Mount Sinai. The special program provided access to biotechnology projects and a lab. The program also paired her with a research lab at the end of her junior year, allowing her to direct her efforts in a clinical setting at the Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Institute. At the Institute, Kelly worked on a project involving gene prkC2 and assisted with an enhanced test for type 2 diabetes.
But Kelly didn’t just spend all her time buried in books and lab work. Along with two other students, she was instrumental in founding the black student group at her school and tutored other students. And if that wasn’t enough, Kelly is also an avid dancer. Kelly also worked in several intern programs throughout her high school years.
When it came to applying to colleges, Kelly once again took extraordinary steps to ensure she had a place in a good school come the fall. Kelly applied to 22 colleges, including all the Ivy League institutions. And, for this remarkable young woman, the result of all those applications was nothing short of amazing. Kelly was accepted to 21 of the 22 schools to which she applied and was wait-listed at Stanford.
With a full schedule of activities, including internship work, dancing, mentoring, and schoolwork, Kelly is still reviewing her options and visiting the campuses of her top choices. She has until May 1 to make her decision.
Right now, Kelly thinks she will major in biochemistry as a first step toward a career as a neuroscientist and ultimately a neurosurgeon. She has always had a fascination with the brain, spurred in part by her exposure to a family member who has Parkinson’s disease. Watching the slow progression of this disease spurred her to want to make a difference for others.
Now Kelly is a celebrity known as “the girl who got into all 8 Ivy League schools; many children and parents alike have heard her story and are inspired by this hard-working student.
Asked how she managed to maintain a high GPA and all the other activities she participates in, Kelly said time management and prioritizing were imperative, along with getting used to sacrificing sleep. Kelly explains that she generally goes to bed between midnight and 1 am and is up at 5:30 am. But, most importantly, Kelly cited the support and love of her family.
Kelly feels very strongly that everyone can achieve their objective(s). Resilience, the ability to bounce back from challenges, taking advantage of opportunities, and not limiting your ambitions, are important personal principles to follow, according to this stellar student.
Finally Kelly acknowledged that God has blessed and favored her path, her plan now is to ensure that she lives up to her full potential. It seems clear that Kelly has the drive and determination to do just that; this won’t be the last we hear about Kelly Hyles, student scientist, mentor, dancer. She is poised to fulfill her potential and make a difference in people’s lives.
