Harmony School of Innovation-Waco Seniors Earn $33,000 in LEAD Scholarships

[WACO, Texas] -- Harmony Public Schools-North Texas is celebrating the achievements of three Harmony School of Innovation-Waco seniors who earned scholarships through the Greater Waco Chamber’s Leadership, Education and Development (LEAD) program during the organization’s annual recognition banquet.

This year, the LEAD program awarded more than $104,000 in scholarships to local high school seniors across Greater Waco. Of the 14 students selected to receive scholarships, three were Harmony School of Innovation-Waco seniors, earning a combined $33,000 in scholarship awards.

Among the recipients was senior Clarisa Razo, who received the prestigious $20,000 Bradley Ray Hulse Memorial Scholarship sponsored by Central National Bank and The First National Bank of Central Texas. Razo plans to attend Tarleton State University to study nursing.

Senior Jorge Carmona-Trejo earned a $10,000 All Star Scholarship sponsored by Magnolia. He plans to attend the University of Alabama in Huntsville to study aerospace and mechanical engineering.

Senior Nikki Love’ Graham received the $3,000 Alton Davis Memorial Scholarship sponsored by the Davis Family. Graham plans to attend the University of Texas to study architectural engineering.

“These scholarship recipients exemplify the dedication, leadership, and academic excellence we are proud to foster across Harmony Public Schools,” said Harun Karan, area superintendent for Harmony Public Schools-North Texas Secondary. “Their achievements reflect not only their hard work, but also their commitment to creating meaningful futures for themselves and their communities.”

The Greater Waco Chamber’s Leadership, Education and Development (LEAD) program is a business-education partnership that pairs local high school students with industry professionals. Since launching in 2005, the program has focused on career exploration, mentorship, leadership development, and life skills designed to help students navigate postsecondary education and future workforce opportunities.

Earlier this year, Harmony School of Innovation-Waco students participating in the LEAD program also received community attention for taking part in the program’s “Welcome to the Real World” financial literacy simulation, an interactive experience designed to help students navigate budgeting, career planning, and financial decision-making after graduation.

The LEAD program currently serves more than 250 students annually with support from more than 130 mentors and has awarded more than $900,000 in scholarships since 2010. The organization is expected to surpass the $1 million scholarship milestone next year as it celebrates its 20th anniversary of supporting student success across Greater Waco.

Harmony Public Schools is a Texas-born, Texas-wide public charter school system with more than 60 campuses serving PreK-Grade 12 students in 23 cities across the state, including Greater Houston, DFW, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, Waco, Lubbock, Midland-Odessa, Bryan, Beaumont, and the Rio Grande Valley. Harmony’s curriculum places a heavy focus on STEM skills, Character Education, project-based learning, and college readiness.

Harmony Public Schools is currently accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year for both students and team members.