Southwest Philly’s Million Dollar Baby

There are many special people in Philadelphia who are famous for a multitude of things. Only a few are young people. So when a young person in our midst has made their mark, we should shout about it.
Southwest Philadelphia’s 17-year-old Shanya Owens is one such talented youngsters. She is known as the “Million Dollar Baby.”
More than 20 colleges and universities across the country gifted Owens, a senior at Philadelphia’s George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science, with admission and more than $1 million in scholarships.
Shanya insisted on her college entrance essay about how she persevered after her difficult time growing up, made admissions officers want her at their institutions. But she kept the school she chose to attend a secret until a week ago Saturday, when her family, the large Owen clan of Southwest Philadelphia, held an outdoor party and community barbecue at a lot at 59th Street and Greenway Avenue, for her great college reveal. She chose to attend Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta.
“I chose Clark Atlanta because it’s an HBCU,” said the soft-spoken young lady of the school that is the largest—with 4,000 students—of the Morehouse, Spelman, and Morehouse School of Medicine, comprising the Atlanta University Center Cortsortium. “I want to study psychology. I haven’t visited Clark Atlanta yet. But I’m looking forward to getting away and exploring. I also chose it because of the location.”
In this case, it seems Clark-Atlanta was the winner. Shanya was accepted to: Albright College, Cabrini College, Wilkes University, Susquehanna University, Bryn Athyn College, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, West Chester University, Xavier University, Lincoln University of Missouri, La Salle University, Clark-Atlanta, Virginia Wesleyan University, Shippensburg University, Neumann University, East Stroudsburg University, Moravian College, Jefferson Philadelphia University, Mercy Hurst University, Fisk University, Robert Morris University, Morgan State University, Johnson Wales University, Chicago St. University, Cochise College, Tuskegee University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Widener University, Temple University, Chestnut Hill College, Benedict College, Eastern University and Cheyney University.
Shanya’s success has led to her being interviewed by people around the globe.
“Her story is in Japan, the Netherlands, and Africa,” said her grandmother Edie Owens-Hightower. “If you Google Shanya, her story’s on every platform.”
Though many shows called Shanya for in-person interviews, she chose to accept an invitation from the Ellen Show to tell her uplifting story. “It’s not a money thing for us,” said Owens-Hightower of Shanya, her oldest granddaughter. “We just want people to know her story and know that people can make it. She went to ‘Ellen’ three weeks ago, on March 25, she and her aunt, Christine Owens, and her cousin, Carmella Benjamin. They stayed five days, from Monday to Friday. They flew to LA and said the experience was awesome. They had to quarantine when they arrived and get tested before they left Philadelphia. Then have another (COVID) test when they got there –and then do the show. Their limo driver showed them around Hollywood. They saw the Walk of Stars and did a lot of sightseeing, and were able to take pictures. The show treated them like royalty. But the big thing is Ellen (DeGeneres) didn’t interview them. Tiffany Haddash filled in and did the actual interview.”
The other big thing was the $5,000 the show gave Shanya to add to her bounty. Her grandmother said that even with her granddaughter’s good fortune, there was still more money needed.
“It costs $450 to hold her spot at Clark Atlanta due by May 1,” said Owens-Hightower, who with her daughter, Christine, raised Shanya from a baby. “Where are the senators, state reps and local athletes. We’re all people trying to make it during some rough times. The councilwoman, Jamie Gautier, was the only one who came through to her community reveal event last week. We’re grateful for everyone who shared her story, but they’re still other steps to solidify her place in this school. TV and Southwest is overflowing with violence. We want the celebrities to come and support her. There are a lot of Shanyas out there. She is still is gonna have a loan afterwards. We told Shanya, ‘Everybody has student loans. Focus on your education. The loans are nothing.’”