Mpaza Kapembwa, a student at Cross Keys High School, used his circumstances to develop leadership qualities that helped him become one of 94 students in Georgia to earn the Gates Millennium Scholarship.

Seventeen-year-old Kapembwa moved to Atlanta from Zambia in December 2006. His mother, who had moved five years earlier, felt that they might have more opportunities in the United States.

Aside from being captain of the Cross Keys soccer team and an exceptional student, Kapembwa didn’t have a host of extra-curricular activities or club involvement on his resume when he applied for the scholarship, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

“For me it was not so much about what I was involved in but who I am, where I come from and just letting them know [those things] rather than telling them what I thought they wanted to hear,” Kapembwa said.

The Gates Scholarship, which receives thousands of applications each year, is awarded to 1,000 minority students who have significant financial needs. Out of the recipients this year, 94 were in Georgia and 22 were in DeKalb County.

Kapembwa said that when he wrote the essays for the scholarship he focused on experiences outside of school that proved his ability to take the reins, like when his mom was out of work and he helped support the family.

“I just worked 40 hours a week trying to help my mom in whatever way I could; it was over the summer and I guess it’s the most important leadership quality I’ve ever shown–a 15-year-old trying to work and help his mom,” he said.

Kapembwa, who has a 4.12 gpa, was also awarded a host of other scholarships, all of which he expressed gratitude for. He said that the Gates Scholarship will open a lot of doors for him.

“It pays for whatever you cannot pay for; it also pays for certain graduate programs and I think it will pay for the program that I’m interested in, so for me, it’s like a lifetime of free education,” Kapembwa said.

In the fall he will be attending Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., and will pursue a degree in the political economy program.

“I’m surprised not a lot of people know about it because it was ranked the No. 1 college by Forbes magazine,” Kapembwa said of the school.

Kapembwa said he wants to study politics and economics because he likes to engage in civic debate and he thinks he can use his knowledge to help others.

“In my ninth grade civics class our teacher challenged us to think about what was going on around us…if you use your power correctly, you have the ability to help a lot of people,” Kapembwa said.

Kapembwa is also interning with Bank of America this summer to learn more about non-profit organizations.

“They chose five students who will work with Bank of America for United Way; we’ll be [learning] about non-profit organizations and how they operate…then for a week in July we’ll go to Washington, D.C., for a leadership conference,” he said.

Kapembwa said that the world right now is lacking compassion and there are too many instances where political ambitions and emotions clog our humanity.

“If I had a chance to become a world leader I think I would really spend time just bringing the best out of human beings. I think it’s time that people really started turning to morals and trying to be more humanitarian to each other,” Kapembwa said.

He hopes to eventually go into business and give others a chance to succeed like he did.

“I want to see myself helping those who are less fortunate; helping kids like me who came from nothing and give them a chance. I want to see myself making an impact with students like that,” he said.

DeKalb’s 2011 Gates Millennium Scholars

Chardé Acie Cedar Grove High School

Yared Aklilu Cedar Grove High School

Amanda Bradley Marist School

Natalie Cook DeKalb School of the Arts

Brianna Crittenden Stone Mtn. High School

Aisha Davis DeKalb School of the Arts

Terence Gipson Lakeside High School

Jaisa Gooden  Druid Hills High School

Mickhale Green S.W. DeKalb High School

Darrius Hamilton Dunwoody High School

Leticha Heflin Arabia Mtn. High School

Jada Henderson  Avondale High School

Jeffrey-Michael Holiday Redan High School

Jasmyne Jackson M.L. King Jr. High School

Mpaza Kapembwa Cross Keys High School

Fadhal Moore S.W. DeKalb High School

Rekeyia Sherrell Holy Innocents Episcopal  School

Ram Siwakoti Clarkston High School

Raven Smith M.L. King Jr. High School

Ryan Starks S.W. DeKalb High School

Re’Kieya Ward Redan High School

Shannon Williams Towers High School