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Helms Ategeka, an 18-year-old Ugandan student based in US has achieved an extraordinary feat that has captured the attention of the academic community.

The Ugandan has garnered a total of 122 acceptances from colleges/universities following his outstanding 3.94 grade point average, which will see him graduate soon as a senior at Head Royce, a private school in Oakland.

Having been in US for just five years now, Ategeka last week said in a televised interview with US Media: "I feel very lucky that I was well-prepared. I had a wonderful guidance counselor and parents who were supportive of this whole process".

Ategeka looks forward to carrying on with his passion for music as he promises to major in music at the University of California, Berkeley where he has chosen to attain his higher education.

"I definitely always come back to music and singing. That's sort of my safe haven."
In a televised display of a suitcase containing the 122 acceptance letters from the US universities, Ategeka, together with his father, Christopher Ategeka, could not hide their excitement.

Information indicates that he garnered about $5.3m (about shillings 19.9 billion) in scholarships for higher education.

Ategeka shows off some of his acceptance documents. (Courtesy Photo)

Music dream

Hailing from Fort Portal city in western Uganda where his other family members stay, Ategeka's dream to study music has been one which has been under debate between his father and himself.

At first, his father hoped his son would choose a course ‘that would drive his career to financial stability’. Just like true passion that burns within one’s soul and cannot be put out, Helms’ vision, at a point, started to resonate with his father.

“He’s so confident that music is what he wants to do, it would be a disservice for me to try to guide him otherwise,” his father said in an interview before clarifying that he did not influence his son to join University of California because of his stature (father) as an alumnus of the institution.

Set to graduate on June 8 this year from the Oakland-based high school, Ategeka, on top of serving as an inspiration to many, advises young people to "keep your head up, go for it, prevail, and don't let all the noise get to you".

Ategeka is scheduled to start his journey at the University of California, Berkeley in mid-August.