SAN DIEGO, Nov. 16, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Officials of PositiveBlackImage.com have selected 17 year old Abrham Alem as the first high school student to be recognized on the web site which is devoted to seeking out and honoring individuals who have excelled and made a difference to those around them.
Abrham is currently a senior at Sweetwater High School in National City, California, just south of San Diego. He came to this country at 10 years of age from his native Ethiopia and has been involved in numerous activities both in school and in the community.
"You look at a young man like Abrham and his accomplishments and he just jumps out as someone who deserves the highest recognition," said Janelle Williams, Co-Founder of PositiveBlackImage. "It was a no-brainer to put him up on our web site as someone who has excelled at a young age," she added.
For the last 4 years, Abrham has served as Class President. For the past 3 years he has been Financial Officer for the Associated Student Body (ASB) at Sweetwater. He also serves as that organization's Vice President. He has been an officer of the African American Student Union since entering Sweetwater and is currently President of the AASU. Throughout his high school career, Abrham has been the recipient of numerous honors, including the ASB Most School Spirit Award, Outstanding Student Award, Homecoming King and the Best Personality Award.
Abrham has also proved himself to be a talented athlete, participating in football, cross country, basketball and track and field for Sweetwater High. Here again, the honors came in: Most Improved in basketball and Outstanding Hurdler in track and field.
All this activity has not lessened his commitment to academics. He received an Honorable Mention on the Principal's Honor Roll and made the All Academic Team in track and field as determined by the San Diego Union Tribune.
Outside school, Abrham participates in the California Scholastic Federation, the University of California at San Diego Science Program and For Your Information, and organization geared toward collaborating as a school community to promote tolerance and foster success. Other organizations receiving attention and participation from Abrham include Relay for Life, raising money for cancer patients and research, and Young Life, a religious organization reaching out to communities in need.
Abrham hearkens back to his younger days in Ethiopia and the strong family values instilled in him there by his father. The death of his father when Abrham was 10 made him realize that material goods were not as important as being a good person. He also cites the death of his father as a turning point in his life, making him what he is today.
"I am very proud to be an African American who grew up in National City. That has taught me life-long lessons and helped me realize what my purpose in life is," says Abrham. He added, "The adversities I have seen in my lifetime also helped me realize that I am here to help my community in any way possible."
Abrham already has a guaranteed admission to San Diego State University, but is keeping his options open. He was to pursue a degree in Business Administration, then return to his community to lend a helping hand to those in need. Abrham very much believes that "if given the opportunity, anyone can succeed."
PositiveBlackImage.com is proud to honor Abrham Alem of National City, CA on its web site. The site is dedicated to recognition of the accomplishments of African Americans in all walks of life, the famous and the not-so-famous, the grand deeds and those who simply have excelled in making life better for their families and those in their community.
About PositiveBlackImage.com: PositiveBlackImage.com is about creating a venue where African Americans can see positive reflections of themselves as well as providing tools for greater achievement for people of all ages.
PositiveBlackImage.com will accomplish this by: identifying and showcasing positive images of African Americans for adults and children alike; promoting community prosperity through economic advancement; providing employment options and opportunities; exposing Black-owned businesses to both the African American community as well as corporate America.
The web site is earnestly seeking participation from the public, asking that they be on the lookout for people such as Abrham Alem who might be profiled on PositiveBlackImage.com. The individual can be a celebrity who can be looked up to be young people, or an everyday person who has made a mark in his or her life. All submissions will be submitted to a special screening committee.