Sophomore, Andrews Osborne Academy
Chapman is an athlete with the brain of an academic and the temperament of a poet. And he’s only 15 years old. The starting point guard on the Andrews Osborne varsity basketball team, Chapman set four school records during his freshman year — all while juggling honors geometry and world literature courses. Honors guard: Chapman is aiming toward the honors track. This year he’s enrolled in AP United States history, honors algebra 2, honors chemistry and honors British literature. “A lot of kids tell me, ‘You shouldn’t do that class, it’s a lot of work.’ But I take on the challenge,” he says. “I like getting deeper into things. I like discussing, seeing your viewpoints, then me saying my viewpoint. I wouldn’t say I like debating, but I like debating.” Open door: Chapman came to Andrews Osborne from Whitney M. Young Leadership Academy, a Cleveland public school for gifted students, after attending a summer basketball camp. “In my heart, I felt [Whitney M. Young] wasn’t the school for me. Then God opened up this amazing door for me,” he says. “It was my decision: Should I go for it or should I be afraid or stay out? I just went into it, and it’s been the best year of my life.” Point man: Chapman set school records for total points in a season (531), 3-pointers made in a season (61), most free throws made in a season (128) and most free throws in a game (10). He averaged 15.6 points and 3 assists per game and helped his team to a conference title. “Basketball is my dream, it’s my hobby, it’s everything to me,” he says. “It’s the one thing I can do that takes everything off my mind.” Word play: During school, Chapman and a friend pass poems back and forth, editing and adding on to each other’s work. “It has her part to it, and it has my part at the end of it,” he says. “It connects and it shows these two different people and they just blend together.” Buck Up: Although his friend writes more contemplative poems Chapman, an avid watcher of motivational videos, is more upbeat. “I tell her, ‘Lighten up a little and write happy poems,’ ” he says.
