Fulton Students Sign Deal To Get $10K If They Graduate

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — Eight students in the Fulton County School System last week took the first step towards 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 for these eighth-grade students was held at the school district’s North Learning Center in Sandy Springs. The event featured the honored students, as well as school board members, Fulton County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Rose, district leaders, principals, counselors and graduation coaches.

The Fulton Education Foundation is a sponsor of the system’s REACH Georgia program and is contributing financially to the success of the students. Dr. Rose praised the students’ hard work and encouraged them to continue on the path to success.

“I encourage you to remain focused; you’ve done amazingly well, but you’re not done,” he told the students.

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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, especially for students who are the first in their families to attend college. Hundreds of students across Georgia are signing contracts for the 2018-2019 school year, including these eight Fulton students:

• Matthew Atiogbe, Hopewell Middle School
• Deaira LaShae Bryant, Renaissance Middle School
• Khamari Ahmad Bush, Camp Creek Middle School
• Ashley Raymundo Emilio, Ridgeview Middle School
• Allison Roxana Herrera, Holcomb Bridge Middle School
• Tai Delaney Hutchins, Holcomb Bridge Middle School
• Nyla Joy Price, Ridgeview Middle School
• Caren Jimena Quijada, McNair Middle School

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

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

Image via Fulton County Schools