Atlanta Public Schools REACH Georgia Scholarship Signing Ceremony. Photo: Allison M. Slocum ©
Atlanta Public Schools (APS) recently inducted eight scholars into the REACH Georgia Scholarship Program, a transformative, needs-based mentorship and college scholarship program open to 8th graders in Georgia.
Administered by the State of Georgia, REACH collaborates with Georgia Student Finance Commission, which oversees prominent programs such as the HOPE Scholarship and Grant Program and manages vital educational services.
Extending its reach to all 180 school systems in Georgia, supporting over 4,000 scholars, and committing $40 million in scholarships, REACH has become a beacon of hope for countless students across the state.
Becoming an APS REACH Scholar was no small feat. Prospective students engaged in a rigorous application process, emphasizing involvement in school and academic excellence, and went through a thorough interview where members of APS partners Achieve Atlanta’s College Access team served as interviewers.
Alysia M. Benton and her mother sign the REACH Commitment Form. Benson is a student at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy. Photo: Allison M. Slocum ©
The chosen scholars and their parents were invited to a special induction ceremony where they signed a commitment form outlining the responsibilities they must uphold throughout their high school journey:
- Maintain a 2.5 HOPE-calculated GPA.
- Exhibit good attendance and behavior.
- Remain drug and crime-free.
- Engage with an assigned mentor and academic coach regularly.
- Attend REACH events, meetings, and programs.
- Participate in activities preparing for college.
- Graduate with a high school diploma.
- Enroll and graduate from a HOPE-eligible college or university in Georgia.
Maria Grovner, APS school counseling coordinator (9-12), expressed pride in the program’s impact since APS began participating, assisting 105 scholars in pursuing higher education.
“We’re very proud of our previous REACH scholars,” Grovner said. “Districts across the state have an opportunity to invest in their scholars by providing them with the scholarship and this is something that we do annually with our middle schools.”
APS school counseling coordinator (K-8), Jennifer Wilson, shared with attendees the incredible potential of this year’s recipients, who are academically excellent and good role models.
“These are kids who are doing the right things when they’re at school and they’re really setting the example and the tone for others in their building,” Wilson said. “They are role models through and through.”
The SY2023-2024 recipients of the Atlanta Public Schools $10,000 REACH Georgia Scholarship. Photo: Allison M. Slocum ©
To commemorate their induction, each REACH Scholar received a scholarship commitment of $10,000 and several small tokens, including a symbolic million-dollar chocolate bar, which served as a tangible reminder of the immense value education adds to one’s lifetime earnings.
“The difference between someone who doesn’t finish high school and someone who completes four years of college, and that difference in how much money they can earn over their career, their lifetime before they retire, is a million dollars,” Wilson said, explaining its significance.
The $10,000 REACH Scholarship will assist in guaranteeing that college education. KIPP Strive Academy eighth-grader and REACH recipient London Moreland expressed her relief in receiving financial support for her college journey.
“It feels refreshing knowing that I will have support with whatever college I do end up going to and it won’t be as much of a financial burden on my family,” Moreland said.
The SY2023-2024 recipients of the Atlanta Public Schools $10,000 REACH Georgia Scholarship and their families. Photo: Allison M. Slocum ©
In addition to the financial support, each recipient will receive four and a half years of academic coaching and a one-on-one mentorship where mentors will walk alongside the students and their families, ensuring they can realize their dreams.
The recipients shared their excitement about the mentorship and their gratitude, including eighth-grade Crawford W. Long Middle School student and REACH recipient Kaydon Sims, who spoke of his supportive community and his pride in achieving the REACH Scholarship.
“I am excited to especially work with my academic coach who works in the mental field, which is the field I want to go into to— psychology,” Sims said. “I really hope this helps me advance my intelligence in terms of mental health and music and things that I want to pursue.”
Moreland expressed a similar sentiment regarding the anticipation of gleaning a blueprint from her mentor on how to navigate college.
“I won’t walk in blinded,” Moreland said. “I’ll kind of know what to expect and how I could [develop] good study habits and things of that sort.”
Eighth-grade Willis A. Sutton Middle School student and REACH recipient Zakaiya Rich, who aspires to attend Georgia State University, relished the opportunity for mentorship.
“I’m looking forward to the mentors and them staying with me throughout high school,” Rich said.
As APS continues to empower its students and prepare them for college, career, and life, programs like REACH and other scholarship opportunities will be made available to eligible students and families and posted on the district website.
Please join us in congratulating the SY2023-2024 APS REACH Georgia Scholarship recipients:
Alexis Baylon | Atlanta Classical Academy
Alysia M. Benton | Coretta Scott King YWL Academy
Laila B. Foster | KIPP Vision Academy
Ni-Khole Golding | Herman J. Russell West End Academy
Leon A. Howard | John Lewis Invictus Academy
London A. Moreland | KIPP Strive Academy
Zakaiya A. Rich | Willis A. Sutton Middle School
Kaydon U. Sims | Crawford W. Long Middle School
To access the photos in the slideshow below, click here.