Bright Futures Scholars Graduate

The Bright Futures Scholar's program, which is based at Eliot Middle School in Altadena, graduated 129 students in a ceremony on June 12.

More than 1,000 people attended the ceremony, according to Sandra Thomas, the director of the , which runs the program.

Also in attendance were Rep. Adam Schiff,  D-Pasadena, Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, D-La Canada Flintridge, Mayor of Pasadena Bill Bogaard, Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca, and Pasadena Chief of Police Phillip Sanchez.

The program was established in 2004 for Pasadena Unified students and involves group and individual mentoring with leaders of local communities and other adults.  The intent is to assist the students in maintaining a high level of achievement and preparing them to attend college.

The students come from 11 middle and high schools from across Altadena and Pasadena.

According to center's press release, 14 of the 129 graduating scholars will be receiving college scholarships of some sort to assist them in financing their studies.

In addition, Thomas is expecting that there will be about 250 new students enrolling in the program next fall, according to the release.