ATLANTA – Greenhouse Scholars, a non-profit education organization cultivating the next generation of community leaders, named three Atlanta Public Schools (APS) students as its inaugural class in the state of Georgia.
Founded in 2005, Greenhouse Scholars is a unique program that provides personal, professional and financial support to high-performing, under-resourced college students. The goal is not only to help deserving students excel during college, but to also ensure they are prepared to succeed in their professional endeavors upon graduation and make significant contributions to their communities. The program initially served students in Colorado and Illinois before expanding to Georgia this year.
The three APS Greenhouse Scholars are:
- Amadou Bah, a graduate of B.E.S.T. Academy High School, who will attend Stanford University and plans to become an orthopedic surgeon.
- Charles Ellis, a graduate of South Atlanta High School of Law and Social Justice, who will attend Duke University to study economics and finance.
- Bashel Lewis, a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, who will attend Pitzer College and plans to become a market research analyst.
“We’re thrilled that Greenhouse Scholars has chosen to expand their groundbreaking program fostering change at the community and individual level to Georgia, and we couldn’t be more proud that they have selected three APS students for their first class,” said APS Superintendent Dr. Meria J. Carstarphen. “We celebrate the academic accomplishments and devotion to community service of our high-performing students as well as the investment Greenhouse Scholars is making in our city’s future. Their program has the power to transform many lives in Atlanta and serve as a catalyst for improving our communities.”
The APS students were identified as having an extraordinary record of achievement, and uphold the Greenhouse Scholars core values of leadership, community, relentlessness and accountability. Prior to being invited to join the program, Scholars participate in a rigorous selection process focused on academic achievement, give service to community, demonstrate leadership skills, and show financial need.
Greenhouse Scholars employs a holistic “whole person” approach, which incorporates intellectual, academic, professional, and financial support. Proven through a decade of results, the program has seven key components: mentorship; professional networking; peer support; internships; Summer Symposium, an annual leadership conference held in Colorado each August; “flex funding” to defray college-related expenses and a tuition scholarship.
Because of the program’s comprehensive support, the Scholars graduate from college prepared to succeed in their professional fields and make an immediate impact on their communities and communities across the globe.
About Atlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools is one of the largest school districts in the state of Georgia, serving approximately 50,000 students across 106 learning sites. The district is organized into nine K-12 clusters with 87 schools, 17 charter schools and two citywide single-gender academies, where students are offered rigorous instructional programs that foster success in school and life. For more information, visit www.atlantapublicschools.us.
About Greenhouse Scholars
Greenhouse Scholars, a Colorado-based non-profit organization founded in 2005, works with low income and first generation college students who are exceptionally high performers. Through its “Whole Person” approach of intellectual, academic, financial and professional support, Greenhouse Scholars is changing the trajectories of the Scholars and their families, and low-income communities locally and across the globe. To date, Greenhouse Scholars has served more than 180 students in Illinois, Colorado, and Georgia. Greenhouse Scholars is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit www.greenhousescholars.org or www.facebook.com/greenhousescholars.
