Ola Canty

Ola Canty’s love of dance has taught her that striving for perfection is, ultimately, an unsatisfying goal. “Reaching perfection means that you are left no more ambitions or goals to achieve.” Instead, she works to challenge herself in everything she does and focuses on enjoying the journey.

As a Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar, Ola transferred from her public school in Washington, DC, to a boarding school in Massachusetts. During her junior year of high school, she worked with an Advanced Mentoring Program mentor to conduct biomedical research regarding the role of stroma in breast cancer. Ola now attends Harvard University, where she is pursuing her academic interests in biomedicine and pharmacology while also continuing to nourish her passion for dance. A self-described “well-rounded” person, Ola is also a pianist and an avid runner, and she enjoys hip-hop dance as much as she does classical ballet.

"As I had hoped, I was able to accomplish many things as a Young Scholar,” says Ola. “But what made my time so great was being able to share my experiences with other determined students who were also striving to leave their mark during high school. I accomplished things that I may never have if I had not been a Young Scholar, but more important are the many things that I can now accomplish in the future."

Ola plans to pursue a career in pharmacology, with the dream of finding cancer treatments using medicinal plants. When not at school, she lives with her family in Washington, DC.