Mahogany Madison High junior Mahogany, 16, is not the first in her family to go to college. Her mother graduated from the University of Houston and her older brother is currently attending Tyler Junior College, so she knows higher education is expected for her, too. “She always says in order to make it in life you need an education and the higher your education, the more money you make,” says Mahogany of her mother. “And I’m a person who likes money, so I’m going to get a lot education.” If you haven’t guessed it yet, this is a girl who likes to speak her mind. “I’m the most outgoing person. I’m not afraid to do anything,” she says. In the top 10 percent of her high school class, Mahogany runs track—hurdles and the 4x4—and is active at her church, in Young Life, volleyball and World Impact. Her first choice for college is Clark Atlanta because, she says, she really has a passion for that city. When asked where she wants to be 10 years from now she says, “A billionaire in the Hamptons,” and then, tweaking her goals just a bit, “all right, a millionaire then.”

How long have you been in EIF?
Mahogany: Three years, since my freshman year.

How long have you been in EIF?
Mahogany: Three years, since my freshman year.

What do you like about EIF?
M: I like the people here and I like the whole staff of EIF.

What’s your favorite class and why?
M: I would have to say math. I love math and I’m an excellent mathematician… I like solving problems. I like puzzles I have to solve on my own. It makes me think.

When you picture your dream life, what does it look like?
M: I would live in a place with a lot of land and a huge house on a hill, a lot of luxury cars, a pool in the back and everything. I want to live a life of luxury.

What makes you mad?
M: When people try to be like other people and I don’t like it when people lie and when people are fake.

What is success?
Accomplishing your goals.

What makes you proud?
That I maintained the top ten percent --and it’s going to make me even prouder when I make it to number one. Oh, it also makes me proud to see my little sister want to learn math.

Who would you most like to meet, living or dead?
My great-grandmother because she was my heart; she died like six years ago.

If you go travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I would to Paris, France because I’ve heard so many great things about it and when I look at pictures, it looks like a pretty place to go and relax.