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Plant Senior Follows Dreams

Photo from Plant City High School

Plant City High homecoming queen Shambria Young is escorted to the homecoming dance by homecoming king Durran Lowe.

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By CHERYL KUCK

Tribune correspondent

Published: February 11, 2009

PLANT CITY - Plant City High School senior Shambria Young is on a roll.

In May, she was crowned Miss In Living Color by a local nonprofit group.

In the fall, the 18-year-old was elected homecoming queen by her fellow students at Plant City High.

On Jan. 23, she sang the national anthem at the EveryBuddies Beautiful Fashion Show at the school. And on Saturday, she'll wear either the homecoming crown or the Miss In Living Color crown when she rides in a float in the sixth annual Black Heritage Festival's parade.

"My parents, Letissa Gordon and Ernest Young, keep telling me how proud they are. My mom is my No. 1 motivator and has always told me to be strong, do my best, believe in myself, and then I'll achieve my dreams," she said.

Young has been class president for the past two years and is also a member of student government and the school executive council.

"She is a great person, so friendly and outgoing," said Sherrie Mueller, Plant City High guidance resource specialist.

Young said she has been involved in her church, Faith Temple Primitive Baptist, almost all of her life. Because of her deep faith, she became a member of the high school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She is also a dedicated Raider cheerleader who enjoys watching fans come out to support the team.

Her favorite activity is as a tutor in the Advancement via Individual Determination program, helping students at Burney Elementary School.

"Eventually, I want to become an elementary teacher. Just watching students wanting to be all they can be makes me want to put in every effort I can to make sure they reach all of their goals," she said.

She plans to attend Hillsborough Community College and continue her studies at the University of South Florida.

Correspondent Cheryl Kuck can be reached at wkuck@tampabay.rr.com.

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