CARROLLTON, GA — A Carrollton High School senior who has hopes of becoming a pediatric physician has received a full ride scholarship to Davidson College — a prestigious liberal arts college with an acceptance rate of less than 18 percent.

E’Layiah Ackles is a QuestBridge Match Scholarship recipient. Nearly 18,000 students applied and E’Layiah is one of only 1,800 selected students.

QuestBridge is a national nonprofit that pairs the nation’s most exceptional youth with leading institutions of higher education. By recruiting, developing, and motivating, QuestBridge seeks to help students attend the best colleges in the country as well as helping them achieve success in their careers and communities.

“QuestBridge is a phenomenal organization that mends the bridge for underprivileged students to attend elite institutions such as Davidson College,” said E’Layiah. “About a month after my application submission, I was notified that I had been chosen to be a Questbridge National College Match Finalist, which was very exciting! I had to complete required materials for each of my ranked colleges before finding out in December that I was matched to Davidson College on a full four-year scholarship.”

Shannon Bright, healthcare instructor at CHS said E’Layiah is a wonderful student who she believes will accomplish great things.

“E’Layiah doesn’t just take information at face value, she uses it as a foundation for further research and deeper understanding of the topics and concepts,” said Bright. “She consistently seeks out opportunities to refine her practical skills and is able to interact with patients with a level of professionalism that exceeds every expectation of a student of her age.”

E’Layiah said she was intrigued by pediatric healthcare when she was a small child herself.

“I am the eldest of my siblings, so I often helped nurture my younger siblings alongside my mother,” said E’Layiah. “I realized early on how much of a true love I had for children. I admired their innocence and their ability to look at the world through a different lens, a more positive one. I decided that I wanted to help them in my career one day.”

As for her time in the healthcare pathway at CHS, E’Layiah said she is grateful for how it has helped her grow.

“The healthcare pathway has allowed me to see the characteristics and knowledge that are required to succeed in this field,” she said. “Mrs.Bright has also provided ample opportunity for me to gain hands-on experience with the processes involved in daily healthcare administration.”