All About ABC: Part IV

In Zephyrus’ fourth installment of All About ABC, we sat down with junior Reggie Wimbley. Wimbley is active in Band (both Jazz and Concert), Model UN, Boys’ Tennis, Images, and, of course, the ABC program.

Zephyrus: Where are you from originally?

Reggie Wimbley: I am from a suburb of Cleveland, called Shaker Heights, in Ohio.

Z: How did you learn about the ABC program?

R.W.: Actually, I didn’t learn about it. My mom did. And she made me submit the application.

Z: What was the selection process like?

R.W.: Well, first you had to submit an application to the National A Better Chance program, and then, after acceptance to that, you submit applications to individual boarding schools or private schools, and applications to community schools such as Edina.

Z: So you got to decide which schools you wanted to apply to?

R.W.: Yes.

Z: How did you go about picking the schools?

R.W.: I applied to private schools – one was a boarding school [in California], one could have been either a boarding school or a day school. I didn’t get into the the one in California, which I didn’t want to go to anyway, and I got waitlisted at the other school. Then Edina ABC contacted me and flew me out here to see the city and the campus, and since I was waitlisted at the other [boarding] school, I decided on Edina.

Z: What was your first reaction to leaving your home for Minnesota? Were you initially willing to leave to come to Minnesota?

R.W.: Why is it so cold?! It was hard to leave because I’m an only child. It was a very different experience being away from home and my family. A lot of my family is in Detroit or Tennessee, so all of a sudden I was very far away from anyone I knew, and that was pretty hard.

Z: How does it feel that all of your old friends are in a place deemed a “challenging environment?”

R.W.: My old school had good educational values, but had bad influences from… the bad parts of the city by certain students. I didn’t associate with those kids. My old school had AP and IB classes and all that stuff. I don’t know if I wanted to leave, but I feel like my friends are doing well, because the friends I had were doing good and making the most out of the situation. So even though I don’t talk to them that much anymore, I feel like they’re surviving and doing pretty well.

Z: What’s it like living in one home with six other kids and two parents, none of whom you knew before?

R.W.: My first year, I was only thinking for myself, and I’ve had to change that about myself. I was used to being the only one getting attention, because that’s how I grew up. I would only think about myself at times, but this opportunity has given me the views of a lot of people who have grown up with siblings.

Z: If you could change one thing about ABC, what would it be?

R.W.: I know this is what Charles said, but driving! I’m in a lot of activities, and it gets pretty hard to get around. And also on the weekends I could be doing things, but usually I end up sitting at home watching Netflix. I don’t know how it would work legally, but if it could [happen], driving would be great.

Z: If you could give Edina students a piece of advice, what would it be?

R.W.: Get some sleep. Sleep is a beautiful thing. We are too focused on competing [for] grades, and you’re only hurting yourself by not getting enough sleep.

Z: Who or what inspires you?

R.W.: My inspiration comes from the actress who plays Keke Palmer’s rival in “True Jackson, VP” (Danielle Bisutti as Amanda Cantwell). And also Mariah Carey – she has an amazing voice.

Z: Anything else you’d like to add?

R.W.: Follow me on instagram! @reggiewimbley