4 Milwaukee High School Classmates Celebrate Getting into Spelman College Despite Low Acceptance Rate: 'A Dream Come True'

Four Milwaukee teenagers are celebrating after getting into the college of their dreams despite the prestigious school only having a 25% acceptance rate.

Rufus King High School seniors Anavi Alston, Taelor Banks, Wy'yana Adams and Jordyn Henderson will be attending Spelman College — a private, historically Black, women's liberal arts college in Atlanta, Ga. — in the fall.

Rufus King revealed the news in a Facebook post on Dec. 19, 2024, sharing a photo of the teens wearing Spelman College merch while standing in front of some yellow lockers.

Adams described getting into the college as “like a dream come true” in an interview with NBC affiliate WTMJ-TV published on Thursday, Jan. 10. “I’ve wanted to go to this school since the fourth grade,” Henderson said of attending the establishment.

Banks told the outlet, “I have been dreaming about this since freshman year,” while Alston added, "I was shocked."

Related: Where Celebrity Kids Are Going to College in Fall 2024

In terms of their hopes for the future, Alston said she wants to "become an anesthesiologist," while Henderson wants to be a "medical lab technician," Adams hopes to “get enrolled in medical school,” and Banks' "dream is to be a lawyer.”

Adams explained to the outlet, “We all toured Spelman, and we just knew this was the place to be. It felt like home,” while reflecting on them visiting the campus together as part of a Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) program.

She added that the college's "model of ‘a choice to change the world’ was really embedded" in her. She told the outlet, "Giving back and doing service has sparked my interest for a long time.”

Banks said her "mouth dropped" when she learned she'd gotten into the school, while Alston's family "started spraying whipped cream" on her.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Spelman is comprised of "more than 2,100 students from 43 states and 10 foreign countries," according to the college's website.

The institute noted, "Spelman empowers women to engage the many cultures of the world and inspires a commitment to positive social change through service. We are dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences and the intellectual, creative, ethical and leadership development of our students."

Rufus King High School Principal Doreen Badillo had nothing but praise for the teens, telling WTMJ, “These four African American young ladies have worked individually hard for what they have earned, and no one has given it to them. It takes all of us, but it took them to make the first move to get there.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Badillo and a spokesperson for Spelman College did not immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE.

Angelina Jolie's daughter, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, 20, is among the students currently attending the school. She even joined a sorority in November 2023.

In August 2024, Zahara was filmed dancing at Spelman College's Welcome Back Jam with her Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) sisters.

A source then told PEOPLE, "Angelina is proud of her, her AKA sisters, and all of the extraordinary young women at Spelman."

Read the original article on People