A testament to her hard work and perseverance, Sarah Johnston, makes history as Idea South Flores’ first Harvard acceptance.
SAN ANTONIO — SAN ANTONIO, TX —When Sarah Johnston opened her college decision email surrounded by her school counselors, she had no idea she was about to make history. The moment the Harvard University acceptance appeared on her screen, IDEA South Flores erupted with pride—and the video of her reaction quickly went viral.
Johnston, the first student at Idea South Flores to be accepted to Harvard University.
“It’s a huge accomplishment. I never would have thought that I would have gotten into Harvard,” Idea South Flores, senior, Sarah Johnston said. “That just sounds like out of this world and just so far away. It’s still a setting in.”
Counselors calling Sarah a shining example of what’s possible for any student who applies themselves.
“Sarah is an amazing example of the best of Idea and the best of our students in the city,” Idea South Flores, Director of College Counseling, Carlene Huard said. “She’s a first generation college student…and so having her as a role model for our students and for students across the city is so important.”
Johnston like many of her peers, facing challenges along the way.
“It’s just my mom and I and you know it’s there’s been a lot of times where we’ve struggled a lot… I’ve just had to learn how to manage and work through that,” Johnston said. “I think it’s really built my own awareness of finances and about just how to support myself as well and I know that’s common for a lot of my classmates as well. And so I think my education and push forward to go to college has been just a huge moment for me because you know it’s me accomplishing my dreams.”
Dreams spoken and signed.
“Growing up both of my parents were deaf, and seeing the challenges that they face on the daily with discrimination and with how they had grown up with not really a great education, because just the system for deaf and disabled people is just so broken….I think seeing the challenges that they face has really inspired me to push through,” Johnston said. “I’m doing it for myself, but I’m also doing it for my family.”
The deaf community also reacting to her viral acceptance and cheering her on online.
“Just seeing the Facebook post with all the comments on there …from other CODAs (child of deaf adults) and from other deaf people, and they’re encouraging me and they’re saying like how proud they are of me, and it just makes me emotional to think about how I get to be a representative,” Johnston said, emotional as she recalled the posts.
This ‘CODA’ realizing the long days and nights leading up to this moment are more than just hers.
“I know it’s something that I’m [going to] carry with me for a really long time and just having that video of me telling my mom, I’ll hold it forever,” Johnston said, tearfully.
Johnston will begin at Harvard in fall of 2025, where she plans to study neuroscience and says she would someday love to research diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.