Cleveland Standout Rides Bus to Personal, Academic Success

  • Graduating seniors are known to express gratitude to their parents, to a favorite teacher, or to an unforgettable experience.

    Chardon J. Black Jr. wrote at length about a guiding influence in his life: riding the 48 bus to school each day.

    Black, valedictorian of Cleveland School of Science & Medicine, is a 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar, one of just 161 seniors nationwide to receive that honor. According to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, he is the first graduate in recent memory to be awarded this scholarly distinction and may be the first in the district’s history. 

    Warren Morgan, Cleveland Schools CEO, hailed Black as “one of the nation’s elite high school scholars” and noted that the youth “prides himself on his service as a mentor, an undertaking he credits to his parental upbringing.” A Questbridge and Gates scholarship recipient, the new graduate plans to attend Princeton University with a major in political science and a minor in Africana studies.

    Writing for the district’s student forum, Black recalled how “taking the bus taught me the value of overcoming financial inequities. I didn’t need a car to go places. I didn’t need a car to explore the world.”

    He also wrote: “Before I became fluent in bus riding, I was dependent on others who were blessed with a driver's license to chauffeur me around. Taking the bus has taught me the value of finding my way, both literally and figuratively. As a result, I’ve applied that same philosophy to many parts of my life. 

    “I constantly think to myself ‘How can I do this in a manner that is unique, independent, and in a lane of its own?’ or ‘How can I minimize the amount of effort on this while also maximizing its success?’ And that’s what I believe has led to my success.”

    Almost as a footnote, Black acknowledged he was now in pursuit of a driver’s license.