Jamal LeRoux Samuel is a senior attending John W. North High School in Riverside, CA. Jamal is receiving the Kmart for Kids award for his courage to overcome a family situation. A diligent and accomplished student, Jamal has triumphed over many obstacles to succeed. After the difficult divorce of his parents, Jamal was forced to move often during his high school career before ending up in transitional housing at the March Air Force Base.

Now, determined not to give up, Jamal rises at 4 a.m. every day and walks a mile to the nearest public transportation bus stop in order to arrive at school on time. Despite this long commute, Jamal is an exceptional student with an outstanding GPA and has made the Honor Roll every year. He is also actively involved on campus, participating in activities such as the Global Business and Technology Academy, Future Leaders of America Club, J.V. Swim Team, Academic Decathlon and multiple volunteer projects.

In his free time, Jamal enjoys drawing, reading, swimming and playing the guitar. Jamal demonstrates that through courage and hard work it is possible to overcome life's most difficult challenges. Jamal was also recently honored as one of Riverside’s 25 Most Remarkable Teens.

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