CCSD Celebrates Its First REACH Georgia Scholars

Press release from CCSD:

Dec. 19, 2022

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating its first REACH Georgia Scholars!

REACH Georgia is the state’s first needs-based mentorship and college scholarship program for middle and high school students. An eighth-grader from each CCSD middle school has been selected as one of CCSD’s first REACH Georgia scholars.

They are: Braxton Cox of Creekland MS, Violeta De la luz Mendoza of Dean Rusk MS, Caleb Massey of E.T. Booth MS, Patricia R. Garcia of Freedom MS, Matthew Green of Mill Creek MS, Ingrid Osorio-Carreno of Teasley MS and Ashley Gaspar-Morales of Woodstock MS.

First launched from Georgia Tech in 2012, the REACH program is designed to encourage students to persist in their educational goals and interests. As part of Georgia's Complete College initiative, REACH seeks to identify rising eighth-grade students who display academic promise and provide them with the academic, social and financial support they will need to graduate from high school, attend and complete college.

REACH Scholars who complete the program requirements receive up to $10,000 in scholarship dollars at a HOPE eligible University System of Georgia, Technical College System of Georgia or a private postsecondary institution within Georgia. The program requires students, in addition to meeting eligibility requirements, to also meet specific expectations for academic achievement, attendance, behavior and participation in academic coaching and mentorship meetings.

The Cherokee County School Board and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower celebrated the scholars’ achievement with their families at a signing day-style reception on Thursday evening followed by recognition at the School Board meeting. The reception was sponsored by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation. Lynne Riley, president of Georgia Student Finance Authority and CEO of the REACH Georgia Foundation, also attended the celebration.

“You are here tonight because you were first nominated by your teachers and then chosen amongst peers by CCSD’s REACH Georgia Scholars selection committee as being students with strong academic potential, good attendance, good behavior, and exemplary promise of graduating from high school, attending and completing college,” School Board Chair Kyla Cromer said, as students and their parents signed contracts to commit to the program’s requirements. “We are so proud of you and look forward to watching your continued success throughout your high school years and beyond.”

This press release was produced by CCSD. The views expressed here are the author's own.