Wossman High School student of the year, accepted into 37 colleges

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - KNOE is spotlighting an extraordinary student from Wossman High School. Kaitlyn Apperley is the student of the year at Wossman. So far, she’s been accepted to 37 colleges. Apperley has also been offered a total of 1.5 million dollars in scholarships from various universities, including two full-ride scholarships. She works a job and has her own business. Apperley has big dreams and she is definitely making Monroe proud.

“Coming from like a single mother home, a single-parent home, I was still able to accomplish the things that I have accomplished. And it will be hard nights, long nights studying and stuff, and some days you just don’t feel like getting up but you just need to go, do it, get it over with and it will pay off in the end,” said Apperley.

Apperley has accomplished a lot in just her 17 years of life. She will graduate from Wossman with 22 college credits and she wants to study pharmacy in college. She said she plans to use her degree to become a compound pharmacist.

When she started applying to colleges, the acceptance letters came rolling in.

“I got into the University of Pittsburgh, University of Denver, Xavier, I got deferred from Harvard,” said Apperley.

One of her former teachers, Justin Overacker, or Mr. O as his students call him, said all of her hard work is paying off.

“I think it really exudes her tenacity, and I think it shines a light on what pride and beauty we have on the south side of Monroe,” said Overacker. “But Kaitlyn’s story just exudes the story that we really have on the south side of Monroe which is genius, which is excellence, which is what every town has, which is beauty.”

Overacker said Apperley’s hard work and determination gave him hope during a time when teachers had to re-learn how to teach through a global pandemic.

“To have a college say ‘you’re worth it.’ You already know she is worth it so to have a national college say you are worth it, that’s your baby, you’ve known that she’s worth it. So I don’t know, it’s that confirmation that there is hope, that there is light in the world, and that our future is going to be okay,” said Overacker.

Wossman High’s principal said Apperley is a role model to other students.

“She’s definitely made the school proud, always made the school proud, and we use her, as a kid and as you see today she had her Woss cat sweater, that’s what it’s all about giving kids the opportunities to do things that show other kids hey you can be like me or you can do better than what you’re doing sometimes,” said Dr. Harrington Watson.

Perhaps one of the most remarkable things about Apperley is when all is said and done, she’ll never forget where she came from.

“I could come back donate to my community, donate to scholarships funds for other students who are still here,” said Apperley. “Wossman and like Carroll or schools just in the district, like have an open scholarship for other kids because college is expensive.”

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