Charles King is described by his teacher as “truly a gentleman who is wise beyond his years.”  And although he’s a hard worker whose effort is truly paying off for him this Senior year at Durham School of Technology, he also gives credit where credit is due. His mother has been his motivation, he says.

“My mother is one person who made a sizable impact on my life. My single mom helped carry me through COVID-19 by holding me accountable for my work,” said Charles.

He explains that after COVID hit in 2020 during his first year of high school, he stopped many extracurricular activities leaving him with free time. 

“One might think that more time would help me in the long run, but instead, it made me more prone to procrastination, as all the distractions, like my video games, were right in front of me,” he said. But not on his mother’s watch.

“Fortunately, I could pass all my classes with flying marks by the end of COVID,” he said.

He plans to matriculate to a four-year college and earn a Master’s degree. His plan is to major in mathematics and get the Masters’ in a related field. 

“I plan to keep my options open, he said. Those options include attending either North Carolina Central University or NC A&T because they are both HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) with sound engineering programs.

“Charles King is one of the most impressive students we have had at our school. He is extremely courteous and polite to everyone in the building. His maturity exceeded his age and his commitment to academic sustainability is highly commendable with a 4.2 g.p.a. He is a very humble student with a bright future,” said his principal Dr. Tounya Wright.

His career path has many on-ramps as well: Charles is contemplating Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, and Accounting.

“For whatever career path I choose, I plan to be at the top of my industry and hold an executive position,” he said.