December Alumni of the Month: Sonie Guseh Osagie
DPSF’s December DPS Alumni of the Month is Sonie Guseh Osagie! Sonie moved to Durham in the fourth grade and attended Parkwood Elementary School, Lowe’s Grove Middle School, and Jordan High School. She is now the Vice President of Strategy and Operations at Focus Features, part of NBCUniversal.
Sonie describes DPS as a community that shaped her confidence and work ethic, especially during her time at Jordan High, where she balanced academics and athletics as a track and field competitor. She fondly remembers her team’s success, including conference championships and her undefeated individual record.
Sonie credits her AP U.S. History teacher, Mr. Merrill, with teaching her critical thinking and helping her build confidence, which prepared her for future challenges. Her advice to current DPS students: Take advantage of every out-of-classroom opportunity you can—it’s an invaluable way to learn.
Read our full interview with Sonie below!
DPSF: Tell us about you - what DPS schools did you attend? What are you doing now?
Sonie: My family moved to Durham when I was entering the fourth grade, so I attended Parkwood Elementary School, Lowe’s Grove Middle School, and Jordan High School. I now work as Vice President of Strategy and Operations at Focus Features, part of NBCUniversal.
DPSF: What does DPS or your school community mean to you? How has it helped shape you into who you are today?
Sonie: I had very formative experiences throughout my time at DPS but some of my best memories come from my high school years. I competed in track and field and made friends with like-minded peers who also valued the rigor of balancing academics and competitive athletics. This collaborative, hard-working environment led to great team and individual success that we were all very proud of. Track and Field helped not only build community for me in high school, but confidence, too.
DPSF: What’s your favorite memory from your time at DPS?
Sonie: During my time on our track team, we were consistently conference champions and I was honored to be undefeated in my individual events. Competing at the regional and state levels was both intense and rewarding. I can remember the incredible feeling of cheering on my teammates during our track meets, and hearing my own teammates rooting for me as I rounded the final turn in the 400m dash.
DPSF: Is there a teacher who influenced you most along the way? What's their name and how did they make a difference?
Sonie: Mr. Merrill was more than just a teacher; he was a mentor who challenged me to think critically and to express my ideas confidently. His AP U.S. History class was rigorous, but it was also incredibly rewarding. I still remember the exhilarating, nerve-wracking feeling of being called on to answer a question, and how those experiences helped prepare me for the challenges of college, graduate school, and my career.
DPSF: What’s one piece of advice you would give to current DPS students?
Sonie: If you can manage it, try to attend every field trip opportunity that you can. It’s such a valuable way to gain new experiences outside of the classroom.
Are you interested in becoming a DPS Alumni of the Month? Find more information here: https://www.bullcityschools.org/alumni