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When she's not studying hard, Shanya enjoys writing and listening to music.

Her advice to fellow students is to \"take your time\" with your work, especially while learning amid the pandemic, and try not to second guess yourself.

\"You really have to be patient,\" Shanya said. \"Stay focused. If you need to have some time away, it's OK. You can tell your teachers that because they know you're stressed.\"

\"PHOTO:
Christine Owens
PHOTO: Shanya Robinson-Owens, 17, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been accepted into 18 colleges and was awarded over $1 million in scholarship money.
>

Owens described her niece as a leader and a hard worker.

\"We've always been extremely proud of her,\" Owens added. \"My mother has helped raise Shanya since she was a baby. We've just been working as a team making sure Shanya keeps God first in anything she does and she is succeeding.\"

Ted Domers, principal at George Washington Carver, told \"GMA\" that Shanya is a well-respected student at her school.

\"In addition to being a part of a movement to bring more social action to our school, she's involved in a number of extracurricular activities that show the breadth of her skills, from robotics to journalism,\" Domers said. \"It is a privilege for us to count Shanya as one of our own and we are excited to see her create opportunities for her future.\"

Shanya will graduate high school in June. She is still deciding on her first pick on where she'll attend college.

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