After COVID made him choose between sports and GPA, student-athlete graduates as Manual Arts High valedictorian
An All-City basketball player who had to choose between getting athletic and academic recognition due to pandemic restrictions graduated Friday as valedictorian from the historic Manual Arts High School in South Los Angeles.
When L.A. Unified allowed high school basketball to resume last month, Manual Arts decided not to field a team. Jay’len Carter was left to decide between transferring to a school with basketball — increasing his chances of being recruited into a college program — or staying to fulfill his dream of becoming valedictorian.
