Northeast Lauderdale High School graduate Prince Kelly’s eighth-grade dream is coming true.

“I am very excited, I can’t wait to go off to MIT,” Kelly said.

Kelly, who received a perfect score of 36 on his ACT test, is planning to attend MIT on a full scholarship, beginning with either terms that will begin in March or the fall. Kelly’s scholarship will include tuition, room, board and other expenses such as books and was based on his ACT score, his academic performance and his computer expertise.

His interest in computers began when his mother purchased one for him when he was young. He also has an interest in learning about space and likes how both use critical thinking to solve problems. He hopes one day to combine those interests and work for NASA.

Kelly, a member of the class of 2019, graduated a semester early so he could take some higher level math classes at Meridian Community College and have a head start on his college credits. He plans to major in computer science with a focus on aerospace engineering.

Help from others

In preparing for the ACT test, Kelly said he had lot of people to help him study, including Cynthia Taylor, department chair of the upper sciences; Lindsay Kalla, Northeast High School school counselor; and Senior Chief Kent Malone, a military science instructor.

He spent almost every day in Taylor’s room, learning material that would be on the test.

“We formed an imitate bond quickly,” Taylor said. “He is more like a family member to me at this point.”

She identified him as a student she’ll follow for the rest of her life.

In his first attempt at the ACT, Kelly achieved a high score and saw a perfect score was within reach. Taylor said the goal was for him to make a perfect score to increase the chances of getting offers from various colleges. She also advised him on his college application essays and wrote a letter to NASA for him, but she downplayed her role.

“He was going to achieve whatever he was going to achieve with or without me,” Taylor said.

Kelly met his goal and received offers from Yale, Princeton and Harvard, all Ivy league schools, and MIT.

Choosing MIT

Before coming to Northeast High School, Kelly had aspirations to attend Harvard but after taking Malone’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Course class, Malone encouraged him to consider MIT since Kelly had an interest in computers. 

Kelly said being part of the CyberPatriot’s award-winning computer programing team, also, helped him get into MIT.

Through his classes, Malone encouraged Kelly to believe in himself. Malone said Kelly is a well-driven student and it nice to have a student from a rural town in Mississippi go to a prestigious school.

“He believed in himself and dreams do come true,” Malone said.

Kelly said he will continue to help Malone with the CyberPatriots team. He’s also helping other students with ACT prep after school at Books-A-Million. 

He is excited for his future and to continue to strive to reach his potential. Kelly has already visited the campus and likes how MIT shares resources with Harvard, just three miles away.

“I am just happy that a lot of people came to help me and it’s meant a lot when I do good for a lot of people,” Kelly said.