Public Housing Resident Awarded Thousands in College Scholarships

Like many other graduates of , Tempest McWhorter will leave Athens for college in a few weeks.

She will attend West Georgia with her pockets stuffed full of scholarships, something that many people wouldn’t imagine for a young woman who lives in public housing.

Her family and she have lived in the Jack R. Wells residential community for eight years. Her mom works in the , helping intake and accommodate special education students, she said.

An older sister attended Georgia Southern and now works in a doctor’s office in Athens.

“It’s not where you live, that doesn’t make the person,” says Tempest, who describes herself as very reserved. “It’s the way you are, what your personality is like and how hard you work. If you met me, you couldn’t tell where I was from.”

At West Georgia, she plans to study education and become a middle school teacher. She has worked with and tutored children and enjoys the challenges. Her long-range goals are to continue her education and become a school principal.

On August 20, Tempest will head to Carrollton, where she will settle into a residence hall with three roommates, one a friend from Clarke Central.  She’s been busy buying school supplies and things for her dorm room.

“Going to college wasn’t what my mom wanted, it was what I wanted,” Tempest said. “But her encouragement made me want to do it more. Going to college helps you get where you want to go.”