Metro Charter Academy Alumni Set to Attend Prestigious Medical Program Was Honored as First Black Salutatorian

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Jul 01, 2020, 10:15 ET

DETROIT, July 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Shane Tinsley, senior at Belleville High School, was recently honored as his school's first-ever Black salutatorian during their graduation ceremony. This honor comes months after learning that he has been accepted to attend Wayne State University (WSU) as a Cohort in the Med-Direct program, a unique B.S. to M.D. program that admits 10 students each year and creates a pipeline to Wayne State's School of Medicine.

Tinsley shared that he wasn't always "the smartest student" but he worked hard and remained dedicated to his education. He learned about Med-Direct in his freshman year and set his mind on working to achieve that goal.

"Intelligence is fluid, it's not something you are necessarily born with but it's something that you build over time," said Tinsley. "I am not fixed in any certain state. I can change it, I can build onto what I have right now."

Before attending Belleville, Tinsley spent three years learning at Metro Charter Academy where he participated in the Robotics Club. This experience made him realize he enjoys working with his hands, leading him to become a student volunteer for two years in the Surgical Center at Beaumont Hospital.

Inspired by his former sixth-grade teacher at Metro, Shane aims to pursue academic medicine to teach other students. "I came from a disadvantaged background, which makes me want to teach. Giving back and teaching the next generation of physicians would impact me to say, 'I came from a background that wasn't the strongest, and now I can give that training back to someone else'."

Tinsley plans to study urology at WSU and hopes to advance the field through medical research. His plans include one day presenting his research worldwide.

"Shane is an outstanding role model to our younger students," said Shelli Wildfong, principal at Metro. "With hard work, perseverance, and dedication, he was able to accomplish amazing achievements. He is going to make a difference in this world!"

#Inspriational was the name of Tinsley's graduation speech, and it couldn't be more fitting to coincide with this young man's journey.

About Metro Charter Academy:
Metro Charter Academy, managed by National Heritage Academies, is a free, public charter school serving students in kindergarten through eighth-grade in the Romulus area. For more information, visit metrocharteracademy.org.

SOURCE National Heritage Academies