When it comes to choices, Zaire Davidson, a senior attending DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, has quite a few. He may not have been worried, but finding out he was accepted to nine colleges has presented him with a wide array of options to achieve his goals of acquiring an MBA and then moving on to Law School. While his choices include St. John’s, Seton Hall, and Hofstra Universities, he decided on attending Pace University because of the academics as well as the financial aid packages he was offered.
In addition to a strong commitment to academic achievement, Zaire has always had a passion for football, a game he began playing at 6 years old. In high school, he went on to play for his team at DePaul, but was sidelined by an injury last year. Unable to continue playing the game he loves, Zaire sees this as an opportunity to find inspiration and deepen his faith. “I’m an optimist. There’s always a silver lining. Whatever God has (planned) for me, I want to go…on that path,” he says.
Zaire’s resilience comes not just from his faith, but from family as well. “My grandmother had cancer on 4 different occasions and she didn’t die,” says Davidson. Eventually, two years ago, when Zaire was a sophomore, his grandma finally succumbed to double pneumonia, but her optimism and strength still serve as a powerful inspirational force. “Not once did I ever see her down… she was always happy and energetic, and always looked out for other people,” says Davidson. Zaire, along with his parents, was awestruck by how many lives she had touched when 700 people attended her funeral. “It made me think that I want to be at least half the person that she was. She is my driving force,” says Zaire.
Zaire is certainly a proponent of “paying it forward.” “I do a lot of community service here in New Jersey, and have traveled to the Dominican Republic on a Christian service program where we went into the villages,” says Davidson.
Wayne Long, Zaire’s theology teacher, offers some character observations. “When I first met him, he was quiet and reserved. He’s matured a great deal. He’s got some lofty goals. He mentioned that he was looking into the business arena. He’s certainly got the potential. His relationships are positive. I think he’s got great potential and…I think he’s going to go far.”
Zaire is very grateful for the help he has received from Tri-County donors. “Tri-County has done great things to offer underprivileged kids the opportunity to be well educated and achieve their goals. I would love to give back and help children the same way donors helped me. I would love to sponsor children too, and be able to give them the privileges they lack,” says Zaire.