A part of that journey, Townsend worked to bring attention to larger social issues through his art.
For his AP Art portfolio this year, Townsend submitted a concentration on what it means to be a man of color.
These submissions included self portraits, along with artwork that expressed his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement and his confidence in himself.
As an intern and volunteer with the Leesburg Center for the Arts, Townsend has helped with summer programs, events and art shows, all while gaining real-world experience in his field of interest.
The Leesburg High School student was recently selected as the Jan Smith Art Scholarship winner by the Leesburg Center for the Arts.
Walker is described on the field as a devoted young man, who is hungry to learn and craft his skills to be better than the next player.
While many players would be willing to transfer to the next school to play a specific position, the Lake Minneola High School senior has shown patience and determination as he waited for his time to come as a running back.
After playing a variety of positions in past seasons, he is now the captain of the football team and its running back.
As the only four-year player at Lake Minneola, Walker has seen it all, but the moment that he is most proud of was playing in the state championship this year.