DeShonda Overby: A Profile

Overby

Leonard Spencer

9/7/2007

MASC303/Davis

RICHMOND, Va. – DeShonda Overby, an aspiring TV news anchor and award-winning pianist, certainly fits the bill of a mover. But instead of shaker, she would be better defined as an achiever.
An only child, Overby has lived in three different places during her lifetime. The twenty-one-year-old was born in Weisbaden, West Germany and moved to an army base 40 miles outside of Salt Lake City when she was 17 months old. She later moved to Richmond.

Overby doesn’t recall many memories of her stay in Weisbaden, but she does remember being happy in Utah.

“I loved it in Utah because everyone was so nice out there,” she said.

When Overby became old enough to attend public school, her parents decided to educate her the best way they knew how: inside their own home.

At age 8, DeShonda and her family moved again for a third and final time to Richmond.

Her parents continued educating their daughter until she asked them to let her attend public school.

“I literally begged them to let me go to public school,” she said. “My mother wanted to keep teaching me until I entered high school … I wanted to go much earlier than that.”

Overby got her wish and began the fourth grade at Baker Elementary School in Henrico County.
The transition into the public school system was at first difficult for Overby.
“It was hard at first because of the lack of attention,” she said. “I was used to always being the one to answer the questions or get the help first. But everything worked itself out after a while.”

While attending Varina High School, Overby became heavily involved in extra-curricular activities. She was president of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), the Spanish Club and participated in SADD.

“My favorite years were definitely during high school because of all that I accomplished,” she said. “I also learned a lot about relationships and who my true friends were.”

Overby also is an award-winning member of her Varina girl’s tennis team. The success of the Williams sisters’, Venus and Serena, is why Overby said she began playing tennis. Currently, she still plays, but only for recreation.

Overby’s mother, Yolanda Overby, says she is proud of her daughter’s high school accomplishments. Yolanda is also proud of what her daughter has become as a person.
“DeShonda is caring…witty, funny, and she holds herself to a high degree,” she said.

After graduating from Varina in 2003, Overby began her collegiate career as a broadcast journalism major at Virginia Union University. She left the school after her freshman year because the university lacked the resources for her major.

Overby enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2004. She believes she is ready to accomplish the long-term goals she has set for herself.

“In 10 years, I want to be an anchor on the “Today Show”, married to a doctor or lawyer, and have two kids,” she said. “I just want to be happy.”