While he graduated Sunday from Charlotte Amalie High School, Freddy Dinang already knows what comes next. Earlier in the week he made public his plans for college, signing a $20,000 scholarship offer to Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma.

A midfielder with the Massey Soccer Academy, Dinang follows in the footsteps of his coach, Dale Richards, who attended the NCAA Division II school and was a leading scorer. Dinang, a native of Cameroon who moved to the territory in 2009, said he’s excited to take his talent abroad, and plans to train as much as he can until he leaves.

CAHS lost in the St. Thomas-St. John District soccer final last month to Ivanna Eudora Kean, but Dinang said he’s thankful to have been able to play. Now, as he prepares for college, the newly graduated Chickenhawk is trying to raise the money he needs to cover the rest of his expenses, which includes travel, attending school and living on campus.

The fundraising goal is $15,000, and anyone in the community, from businesses to individual donors, can call Massey’s Marcella Jennings at 1-340-473-7274.

Richards said the goal is to push others in the academy toward college within the next year.

“This has opened the door for other students to follow,” Richards said. “We ask the community to show their support and help. This is for all of us in the territory.”