Students Sign $10,000 Scholarship Deals To Graduate High School

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- Nine Fulton County eighth-graders took the first step toward reaching their dreams by signing commitments to graduate high school and accept a $10,000 college scholarship funded by the REACH Georgia program. A signing ceremony was held Oct. 19 at the school district’s North Learning Center boardroom.

The event featured the students as well as Fulton County Schools Superintendent Jeff Rose, Fulton school board members, Fulton Education Foundation board members, principals, counselors, graduation coaches and other district leaders. The Fulton Education Foundation is a sponsor of the school system’s REACH Georgia program and is contributing financially to the success of the students.

Superintendent Rose shared with the students his beliefs about perseverance and grit being keys to success and how the district supports their endeavors through the strategic plan.

“Our new strategic plan has an overarching goal, and that’s to prepare all students to graduate ready to pursue and succeed on their chosen paths,” he said. “Many of you have already decided on your chosen paths, and it’s our job to prepare you so that when you graduate, you will have the skillset to succeed.”

Launched in 2012, the REACH (Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen) Georgia program is a needs-based scholarship designed to promote academic success and expand access to higher education. Hundreds of students across Georgia are signing contracts for the 2017-2018 school year, including these nine Fulton students:

• Melanie Bueno, Ridgeview Charter School: Melanie aspires to have a career in architecture or civil engineering. She is also interested in film production.
• Victor Dobrinski, Taylor Road Middle School: Victor would like to attend Georgia Tech and pursue a career in medicine or engineering.
• Sarah Fernandez, Renaissance Middle School: Sarah has a variety of interests which include law, health, education and criminology.
• Dasia Lively, Woodland Middle School: Dasia plans to study Criminal Law and start a law practice.
• Marlen Franquez Martinez, Paul D. West Middle School: Marlen plans to study business management in order to become an event manager and decorator.
• Scarlet Mendoza Penaloza, Northwestern Middle School: Scarlet loves mathematics and clothes and plans to pursue a career in fashion design or architecture.
• Stephanie Pedro-Castor, Ridgeview Charter School: Stephanie plans to study pediatric medicine.
• Brisa Ramos Soto, Elkins Pointe Middle School: Brisa plans to study criminal justice.
• Gabrielle Roshell, Camp Creek Middle School: Gabrielle wants to study culinary arts and business in order to fulfill her dream of opening a soul food restaurant featuring family recipes.

As a part of the program, the students signed contracts to maintain a certain grade point average, remain crime, drug and behavior issue free, and meet with a volunteer mentor until they graduate from high school. Their parents or guardians also signed contracts to support their student through their education.

When these scholars graduate from high school, they will receive up to a $10,000 scholarship – $2,500 each year for up to four years – to be used at a HOPE eligible college. Many colleges are matching this scholarship and some are double matching the scholarship, providing scholars addition resources for their college education.

REACH Georgia is a key component of the Governor Deal’s Complete College Georgia initiative, which calls for and identifies strategies for the state’s public and private colleges to add an additional 250,000 college graduates by 2020 and ensure these students graduate with relevant postsecondary degrees in a timely manner.

Photo credit: Fulton County School System