Darrin Amerson
Age: 18 GPA: 4.15 College: University of California, San
Diego
All his life, Darrin Amerson’s parents stressed the importance
of education.
Their son took them seriously.
Darrin Amerson
Age: 18 GPA: 4.15 College: University of California, San Diego
All his life, Darrin Amerson’s parents stressed the importance of education.
Their son took them seriously.
Amerson is GHS’ 2005 Scholar Athlete and received at least $5,700 in scholarships from Cal–SOAP, Student Services, Bank of America and the James Sacco and Rudy Melone Memorial Scholarships.
“Originally, I was going to have to take out two or three loans – I might not have to do that now,” Amerson said.
He will be attending University of California, San Diego, in the fall and will study biomedical engineering.
“I was down there last year and I fell in love with it,” he said.
While medical school doesn’t appear to be in his future – genetics does.
“There are so many directions I could go with it,” he said. “I just want to keep my options open.”
Amerson is the oldest of five children and will be the first in his family to attend college. The son of a pipelayer and homemaker, school work was always a top priority.
“They always wanted me to do well in school,” Amerson said. But studying in the house with his brothers and sisters was difficult.
“Sometimes I had to kick them out of my room,” Amerson said. “And they look up to me …”
Amerson ran for the GHS cross–country and track teams, competing in the mile, two–mile, 800m and 4x400m relay. His little brothers often insist on racing him.
“If they think I’m letting them win they get upset,” he said.
But Amerson will hang up his track shoes this fall.
“I just want to do well,” he said. “I’m going to focus on school.”
