Darrel Bryant, 16, is already a year ahead of schedule to graduate from St. John Academy. Bryant, who wrote his first book when he was eleven, will be attending Savannah Technical College to study airplane building soon. He will then decide where he will pursue his bachelor’s degree.
“The Flower Nerd,” his anti-bullying book, has subsequently sold 350 copies. He was motivated to compose it after witnessing the suicide of a 10-year-old Colorado girl as a result of bullying. Bryant is an honorary member of the National Society of High School Scholars and graduated with a 4.0 GPA.
A teacher at St. John Academy, Janice West, told WJCL, “I’ve known him since seventh grade. He’s now in 12th. I was excited for him [when they announced his early graduation]. Yeah, he deserves it. He’s worked hard, and he deserves to leave early.”
His mother, Shyann, noted that his determination astounds her. Bryant is a student, son, author, and inspiration to others around him. Tywana Barnes, his cousin and math instructor, stated, “He’s always had that mindset to just always be a go-getter.” Always wanting to accomplish more, to go above and beyond. Being average has never been a characteristic of his.”
As of the beginning of November, Bryant had received roughly $600,000 in scholarships and invites from institutions such as SCAD, Harvard, Yale, and Brown.
Explaining why he puts in so much hard work, Bryant said, “I want to be able to create an image for myself that shows who I am to others. I want to inspire other people to do great things.”
“You just have to make goals for yourself and just don’t mind what other people say. Oh, you can’t do that. You can’t do that.’ Yes, you can. Don’t let others degrade you or discourage you from your goals.”
Aside from his educational and entrepreneurial pursuits, Bryant spends his free time playing video games, walking outside, and creating stop-motion videos. He does, however, spend the majority of his time studying and learning at home, and his teacher reports that this eagerness to learn has influenced the other students.
“He’s going out, and he’s going to grab whatever it takes. And he loves reading. His fellow students have kind of piggybacked,” West remarked.
Despite being younger than his classmates, he is an inspiration to them, as well as to his family, instructors, and mentors.
“Anything is possible, just as long as you put your mind to it,” Bryant expressed.
