At first glance, Teschon Delva (SEED Miami ’23) appears to be a reserved yet promising scholar, excited to begin his freshman year at SEED. There’s no way to tell that he led a groundbreaking initiative, one that gave him the resources and experience to not only advocate for himself and his classmates, but also to encourage others to do the same.
Before coming to SEED, Teschon was a shy child, with a close-knit group of friends. When he and his father learned about SEED’s 24-hour program, they both felt that this rigorous academic environment would help Teschon break out of his shell.
Teschon’s first experience at SEED was attending orientation, where incoming sixth-grade students get a crash course on what to expect at a college preparatory boarding school.
“During new student orientation, I lived in the dorm for one week. I was only eleven years old, so this was an exciting experience. I also met my peers who would become my roommates during the school year.”
It took no time for Teschon to find his stride academically and gain the confidence to reach his goals. In just three years, Teschon has achieved several wins. He was granted a $1,000 scholarship after writing an award-winning essay about Picasso. He also served as a volunteer during the Miami-Dade County Special Olympics, where he filled the critical role of helping to prepare the venue for each sport. He looks forward to performing more community service that directly benefits local children.
Teschon’s most memorable achievement at SEED has been organizing a committee to advocate for middle school students to gain limited use of cell phones on campus. Currently, only high school students have access to cell phones. He enlisted the help of classmates and his student life counselor, Mr. Chatfield, to present a proposal to the school’s leadership team.
“Mr. Chatfield encouraged me to form this committee and served as an advisor to us,” Teschon said.
Dr. Kara Locke, head of school at SEED Miami, was very impressed by Teschon’s proposal. She said it was one of the best she’s ever seen from a student. Though there is still work to be done in order to implement Teschon’s proposal, this experience—among others—has increased his confidence.
“SEED is one of a kind. If any student has the opportunity to come to SEED, they should take it.”
It has been a pleasure to watch Teschon grow into a bright young scholar. We can’t wait to see how his future unfolds.