In a joyful ceremony, Oakland teen, school valedictorian, challenges his class to find their ‘why’

OAKLAND, Calif. - His classmates, school officials, friends and family could hardly contain themselves.

On Thursday, as Dominic Antoine Jr. walked onto the stage where upwards of 1,000 people filled the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, the crowd erupted in cheers for the valedictorian of Fremont High School in East Oakland.

Getting their flowers

It was a moving ceremony that included a special symbolic act of handing out flowers to the male graduates. The tradition, organized by Fremont High College and Career Readiness Specialist Jaliza Collins, was designed to put an extra spotlight on the graduating young men on this milestone. 

Men often don't get to receive their flowers until something bad happens, or worse, at the end of their lives, Antoine explained, so he reveled in this meaningful gesture and passed out his own set of flowers to his male friends and teammates to celebrate their collective accomplishment of graduating.

Antoine, affectionately known to most as just "Pooda" soaked in the graduation ceremony and all the moments full of joy. He walked into the theater with his arms raised as he cheered. On stage, he hugged his smiling and proud school administrators, receiving claps on the back and in full celebratory mode.

The 18-year-old has a lot to celebrate. He’s being hailed as a powerful example through not only his hard work in his academics but his great leadership skills on the Fremont High campus.

4.3 GPA, 31 college acceptances 

The grind and effort resulted in an astounding 4.3 grade point average for the student and varsity athlete, acceptances to the more than 30 colleges he applied to, and a spot at Louisiana State University with an $80,000 academic scholarship.

Last month, KTVU was on hand at Fremont High when Assistant Principal Rashaan Curry delivered the news to the teen that he had been chosen as the school’s valedictorian.

Valedictorian's message

On Thursday, that valedictorian stood before his fellow graduates and acknowledged, "There were times where the rigor of trying to succeed felt overwhelming."

He went on to say, "but standing on this stage today reminds me that every challenge, every setback, and every sleepless night had a purpose."

Delivering a motivational message, he encouraged and challenged his classmates to find and use whatever their purpose was to fuel their own drive.

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What they're saying:

"I wasn’t just speaking for myself. I was speaking for a group of students who all had their own challenges, accomplishments, and journeys," he told KTVU. "Standing on that stage, I felt proud not only of what I achieved but of what my classmates achieved alongside me."

And he acknowledged those individual journeys they each took, all marked with real-life hardships and obstacles along the way.  

‘What is my why?’

"Everyone here has gone through moments where they’ve felt lost, disconnected, or unsure of their purpose," the valedictorian told the crowd. "The reason for this is because many of us spend so much time trying to survive life, impress others, meet expectations, or chase success, that we never stop to ask ourselves one important question: ‘What is my why?’"

He asked his classmates, "What is the reason you wake up every morning? What is the reason you keep going when life gets difficult? What is the reason behind your sacrifices, your pain, your ambition?"

The young scholar said, discovering the answer to "why" could change your life. 

"Because suddenly the sleepless nights have meaning. The failures become lessons. The pain becomes growth. And the person who once felt lost begins to walk with purpose," he told the audience.

His purpose 

For the teen, a big reason for his "why" has been his family, he said, and the many people as part of his inner circle who believed in him and gave him support.   

"Seeing how happy they were made the moment even more special because I knew I wasn’t just doing it for myself. I was doing it for the people who have supported me every step of the way," Antoine shared with KTVU. "Being able to make them proud and show that all of our hard work paid off is something I’ll always be grateful for."

Another big "why" was so he could realize his dream of becoming an orthopedic surgeon.

What's next:

This summer, he planned to work at Kaiser in San Francisco to shadow a health professional and learn about the medical field. 

Then, come August, he planned to leave Oakland, the only home he’s ever known, for Baton Rouge, Louisiana to start a new stage in his life as a college student.

He told KTVU he’s feeling a mix of emotions: very excited for what’s ahead and a little anxious about being in a new environment. Though he added that he’s not too worried because he’s confident he’ll adjust well. 

The young man, grounded in his outlook and a strong belief in himself, said his authentic nature would carry him, sentiments he also extended to his classmates at graduation. 

"When your passion is genuine and your vision is clear, those obstacles no longer become stopping points — they become part of your story," he told them. "Never stop believing in what you’re capable of becoming. And most importantly, never lose sight of the future you envision for yourself, because the journey toward it may very well become the greatest part of your story."