Destiny Joyner (SEED MD ‘23) Reached New Heights on Top of Mayan Ruins

Well before her first day as a student at The SEED School of Maryland, Destiny Joyner (SEED MD ‘23) was no stranger to SEED. She watched her two sisters flourish as SEED students and successfully chart their paths to a college degree. Following in their footsteps, Destiny is focused on achieving her full potential and has set her education as a top priority.

A straight-A student, Destiny finds it important to surround herself with the right friends. “Each semester, my friends and I compete to see who can get the highest GPA. It keeps us on our toes.” Because of SEED’s 24-hour learning environment, she has built strong bonds with her classmates and student life counselors. "Living with each other brings everyone close together. We really feel more like family than classmates."

This summer, Destiny traveled to Belize with SEED MD’s External Opportunities program in partnership with Girls Going Global, a nonprofit organization seeking to address the disparity of girls of color in international education and travel. For a week, Destiny was immersed in Central American culture, which is heavily influenced by the ancient Mayan civilization. She was intrigued by the Mayan’s holistic way of living and discovered how these traditions are still practiced in modern day Belize. Her most memorable experience was climbing to the top of a Mayan temple constructed in 1,000 B.C.! “The Mayan Ruins were really steep! Getting to the top was hard, but once we made it, everyone felt accomplished.” 

Destiny’s eager to see what her first year of high school has in store now that the summer has ended, and she looks forward to seeing more of the world.