Bryana Mayberry, a 2025 graduate of Harding Charter Preparatory High School (HCPHS) and alum of Harding Charter Prep Middle School at Independence (formerly known as Independence Charter Middle School), recounts her time at HCPHS as supportive, diverse and engaging.
During her time at HCPHS, Mayberry immersed herself in campus life, participating in and leading numerous clubs and activities. Most notably, she founded the Ambassadors Program, a student-led initiative that provided campus tours and mentorship for prospective students. She recalls that she was a shy and soft-spoken freshman but credits her involvement in student leadership with helping her grow into a confident and active voice on campus.
"I discovered my love for leadership through Harding and through starting clubs and leading clubs at Harding," said Mayberry.
It is this leadership experience and ability to interact with and lead a diverse group of peers that Mayberry attributes to her early college success and ambition to explore new places and opportunities.
Mayberry currently majors in Tourism and Hospitality Management at Vistula University in Warsaw, Poland. While Mayberry's curiosity was sparked by a video she saw online, it was her genuine curiosity of other cultures that led her to pursue this major.
"I definitely think because of the rigorous courses at Harding it was a lot easier to adjust into standards that the school might have for completing things on time, deadlines especially," said Mayberry.
Beyond academics, Mayberry felt well-prepared to pursue an international education thanks to the support she received from HCPHS faculty and staff. She noted that their guidance on Financial Aid and scholarship opportunities, particularly those tailored to going to school abroad, made her goals feel attainable.
Mayberry credits, Tiffany Briggs, Dean of Programs at HCPHS, among others for connecting her with scholarships, resources and financial aid that made her aspirations into reality.
"I think Harding being so student focused and encouraging students to kind of create and lead gave me the confidence to be ambitious," said Mayberry.
Projected to earn her bachelor's degree in February 2029, Mayberry is already considering advancing her education further, this time with a master's program in the Czech Republic.