Lamar Antoine Greene draws his inspiration to be a classroom standout from his mother, Kimberly Greene, who is a dental assistant.

“I am motivated to study because I have seen how hard my mother works to provide for me and it has made me so humble and independent,” he says. “I want to make a decent living for myself while utilizing my skills and talents to help others.” The goal-driven young man says he set his focus on being the top student in his class academically at Richmond Community High School on North Side “since my freshman year.”

Lamar can now proudly proclaim, “Mission accomplished!” as he puts the finishing touches on the valedictory address he will deliver Wednesday, June 10, at the Altria Theater, during Richmond Community High School’s Class of 2015’s commencement.

His 4.9 GPA also ranks him as No. 1 academically among Richmond Public Schools’ 1,209 graduates. He attributes his classroom success to “my strong work ethic, natural curiosity and resilience.”

“I have no set amount of time that I devote to studying,” he adds. “I study the material until I feel comfortable with it and I know that I know it.”

He says the climb to the top of the academic mountain has not always been easy.

“Attitude is so essential to scoring high,” he says. “It is important not to be discouraged by setbacks and to work through rough patches.”

Lamar’s stellar classroom work has attracted scholarship offers from more than a dozen colleges and universities totaling more than $1 million, with the scholarship amounts ranging from $50,000 to nearly $240,000.

After studying the offers, he selected Emory University in Atlanta, where he will matriculate in the fall backed with $50,000 in scholarship money.

“I chose Emory because I felt it was the best out of state college that met my personal needs and career goals while still being affordable,” he explains.

He says he would like to become a physician or health care executive.

Not just locking himself into a room to study night and day, Lamar also has excelled in many other community-improving roles.

Among them: He is president of the school’s Key Club, co-chair of the Honor Council, historian of his school’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter, yearbook editor, vice president of the Mu Alpha Theta math honor society and a member of Partnership for the Future. He also has volunteered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond and completed an internship with Health Diagnostic Laboratory in Jackson Ward.

Here’s a look at this outstanding student scholar, Lamar Antoine Greene:

Date and place of birth: July 6 in Richmond.

Current place of residence: Richmond.

Reaction to valedictorian honor: I was excited and relieved.

Family’s reaction: My family has expressed how proud they are of me and that they know I will continue to excel in life.

Main point I will make in valedictory address: I really want to express my gratitude to everyone who helped me and to stress the point of everyone in my graduating class staying true to themselves.

Universities that made scholarship offers with amounts:

Virginia State University - $40,000

South Carolina State University - $88,960

Roanoke College - $78,000

Johnson C. Smith University - $72,000

Virginia Union University - $64,000

Virginia Commonwealth University - $52,000 Provost Scholarship

Ferrum College - $72,000

The College of William & Mary - $77,664

University of Richmond - $238,520 with Oldham Scholar Distinction

Emory University - $48,238 Emory Grant and Loan Replacement Grant 

Johns Hopkins University - $57,000 Hopkins Grant

University of Pennsylvania - $58,205 Markel Scholarship and Penn Grant

Brown University - $56,525

Total amount: $1,003,112.

A good teacher is: One who goes out of his/her way in order to help students learn. These are the teachers that push us to work hard and meet our potential because they care.        

Ultimate ambition: To be happy doing something I love while making a positive difference in the lives of others.              

The secret to earning “A’s”: There is no secret to earning “A’s” because everyone is capable. In order to get “A’s,” you need to follow directions, be persistent and complete the hard work necessary to reach that goal.

Most unforgettable experience at my high school: My entire class spent a week in Charleston, S.C., during my junior year. The city was breathtaking and a lot of fun.    

Excitement level about going to college: I am completely stoked about attending Emory because I know it is an academically challenging, top 20 nationally ranked university in Atlanta with lots of opportunities for me to grow as a student and a person.  

I will major in: Human health (subject to change).

Reason: I like the human health major offered at Emory because it includes courses in health care ethics, nutrition, disease and so many other topics that I am truly interested in. It would allow me to learn about health care in depth, which would be perfect before I complete graduate school for health care administration or medical school.

Teacher who influenced me the most: I cannot say that I have had one teacher who influenced me the most because I have had some stellar teachers in my public education.

What I’ll do this summer: I will be interning at the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.

What I like most about Richmond: The city has that historic feel to it, and I find it to be quite charming.      

What I like least: Street parking and 5 o’clock traffic.

No. 1 suggestion for improving Richmond: Improving/expanding the parking in popular areas of the city such as Carytown and Shockoe Bottom.

Hobbies: In my spare time I like to write poetry, listen to music and sing.

Perfect day: Going out with a group of close friends to see a movie or to get a meal from one of our favorite restaurants.

How I relax: Taking a shower or listening to music.

Best late-night snack: A red velvet cupcake.

Three words that best describe me: Studious, ambitious and caring.    

Nobody knows that: I am self-conscious because I always try to give off a confident persona.

The person who influenced me the most: My mom has definitely influenced me the most. Seeing how hard she has worked as a single parent has inspired me.            

My outlook for the future: I see a future for myself that is bright because I have finally come to understand that failures and setbacks are just temporary delays on my dreams and goals. Setbacks and failures do not define me.

The book that influenced me the most: “The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates” by Wes Moore. I thought it was truly inspirational and showed that we must work to create our own opportunities because it’s about where you are going without forgetting where you come from.

What I’m reading now: I just started reading the novel “Connect: Building Success Through People, Purpose and Performance” by Keith Harrell and Hattie Hill. The book teaches young visionaries, such as myself, how to make their own success.

My next goal: My next short-term goal is to have a good experience at my summer internship and my long-term goal is to get acclimated to college, where I will work hard to be successful.