The Local Source for News and Information Since 1980
Eighteen-year-old Sa’Mauria Ennals graduated from North Caroline High School on May 29 as part of the Class of 2025.
She has a little bit more to celebrate than a high school diploma. One week before walking the high school stage, she walked the college one, earning her Advanced Transfer Certificate from Chesapeake College during a graduation ceremony on May 21.
On June 9, she was back at Chesapeake to graduate again with her Certified Nursing Assistant certification from Chesapeake’s Nursing Program.
An Advanced Transfer Certificate “is 29 or more college credits. So I did not have enough to fulfill an entire degree, but I had enough to fulfill the certificate. " Ennals explainedm "it is 29 plus college credits that can transfer to pretty much any four year institution in Maryland.”. She plans to attend Towson University in the Fall to major in nursing, and because of her boatload of college credits, she’s already a year ahead.
Ennals’ mom, Maria Bowser, said Sa’Mauria has always been intelligent and determined, especially when it comes to academics. “I saw how much she wanted it and how much she put into it, hard work, the dedication and to actually see her completed before she completed high school. It was a great feeling as a parent,” Bowser said.
Ennals said that while she is dedicated, her mom has been her driving force, “it's my mom who kind of gave me that push to fulfill everything that I've fulfilled within this last year and a half.”
She also humbley listed the members of her family, academic leaders, and others who have been a vital support system to her, “My father, Buddy Ennals, who helped to keep me level headed at times just like my mother…Keasha Haythe, the President of the “Foundation of Hope” has been an amazing mentor, my sisters who were there to help me study and take the load off my shoulders in times of high stress.” She also specifically mentioned all of the support she received from the Trio Upward Bound coordinators at Chesapeake College, “Ms. Moreland and Mr. Mark at Trio, they are literally, like, my lifeline.”
But most of all, Ennals says what got her through the endless hours of studying was, “A lot of praying, really.”
Ennals took advantage of Chesapeake’s Dual Enrollment Program, which allows high school Juniors and Seniors to take courses at the college for full credit. She first began taking college classes during the winterim of her Junior year, which did not count as Dual Enrollment because they were during the shortened winter semester — meaning she didn’t receive a lightened high school course load to make up for her taking college courses at the same time.
“It was four high school classes and two college classes, and then basketball,” she said. “But then the second semester of my Junior year, I decided to do four college classes through Dual Enrollment, and then the first semester of my Senior year, I did four more college classes through Dual Enrollment. And then recently, the second semester of my Senior year, I only did three.” Her favorite classes to take at Chesapeake were “anatomy and physiology 100%, that pulled me in.” As for high school, Ennals said the teachers made all the difference in which classes she enjoyed, naming English, U.S. History, and government as her favorites.
Despite all of the homework, Ennals still found time to play basketball for the Lady Bulldogs her Junior year, work part-time at Walmart (although she switched to working at Ulta towards the end of her Senior year), be part of Student Government at NCHS, and continue her hobbies of reading and hitting the gym.
Now that she’s done, she can’t help but feel a little bored, “Honestly, it feels very different now, because I'm so used to doing so much schoolwork and just worrying about school, and now I'm just clear minded, so I'm trying to find things to do to occupy my time.” In addition to working at Ulta, Ennals is currently looking for a part time CNA position until she leaves for Towson in the Fall.
For her success, Ennals received several scholarships, including senatorial and delegate scholarships, the JPK Scholarship, the Mary B Lynn Scholarship, the Black Nurses Association Scholarship, and the Foundation of Hope Scholarship. She graduated from NCHS with High Honors recognition.
“It’s all in what opportunities you take and what you feel you can and can’t handle,” Ennals said.
