Today, Deborah Oduwole is heading into her junior year at Saints Neumann Goretti High School in south Philadelphia. She’s taking a few AP courses this year. She’s on student council. This summer she participated in the STEM Scholars program at The Franklin Institute where she conducted a study on the relationship between sugar-sweetened drinks, diabetes and food deserts. SAT and ACT test prep work has her starting the college exploration process. St. Joe’s? Drexel? We’ll see.
Before embarking on this path, Deborah was a student at St. Barnabas Catholic School. Kindergarten through 8th. All nine years—appropriate for the last of nine Oduwole siblings who graduated from St. Barnabas. (You read that right. Nine.) At St. Barnabas, Deborah participated in the St. Katherine Drexel Program, where she and four other 6th grade girls endeavored in rigorous high school test prep. Layered on, Deborah earned a scholarship from The Howley Foundation.
In this episode of Strong Minds Loving Hearts, Deborah sits down with her first grade teacher now St. Barnabas principal, Becca Lord, for a heartwarming conversation that explores the St. Barnabas community, Deborah’s fond memories and her limitless potential that all started right here on Buist Ave in west Philadelphia.
